Americans must learn how to oppose Trumpziism evils by calling for political civility - some NYTimes opinions

Civility and Disagreement in American Politics 

Echo: To the Editor of the New York Times:
Re “Being Polite Won’t Save Us,” by Roxane Gay 

The greatest danger in American politics is not incivility but unreasonableness ❗— the refusal to listen, the denial of facts, the abandonment of deliberation.

Calls for civility were often used as a weapon for control, especially against those demanding justice. But, civility isn’t politeness. 

Rather, its purpose is for everyone in public dialogue to emerge feeling connected, respected and heard.

Rarely, does it make headlines, but in many local communities democracy still works.

City councils and school boards show a core civic truth: Disagreement isn’t just natural, it’s necessary. We are meant to argue — and to make better decisions by working through those disagreements together.

Civility protects the processes that give everyone a voice and a chance to participate. Disagreement, even when passionate or angry, is not the enemy. Being unreasonable is what’s un-American.

From Matt Lehrman in Scottsdale, Arizona

And this, To the Editor: Roxane Gay rightly exposes the hypocrisy about MAGA movement’s disingenuous calls for political civility, which are like punching your neighbor in the face and then insisting the two of you sit down like adults and talk out your differences.

The Trump administration latches on to values-laden language and phrases — ( i.s., cleché) “law and order,” or “fighting antisemitism” or “civility” — only as a springboard for its ambitions and pursuit of power.

Political civility isn’t a fantasy. The misuse of the term by the MAGA movement is just another tactic in the campaign to dismantle democracy in this country.

From Mark Bayer, in Falls Church, Virginia, a former chief of staff for Senator Edward J. Markey, of Massachusetts.

To the Editor: History’s most transformative leaders, from President Abraham Lincoln to the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., prove that civility and moral urgency can effectively coexist and amplify each other’s power.

To the Editor: If I were to make a list of the main problems in today’s political discourse, calls for more civility would not be among them.

Of course it’s possible to misunderstand or misuse the concept. But as Gandhi said, the true meaning of civility is the inner desire to do good to your opponent. 

Given the dominance of brutality and indecency in today’s politics, isn’t that an idea worth considering, especially because it’s so rare?

From David Blankenhorn, in  New York, the writer, founder and president of the nonprofit organization Civic Life.