The Decline of Decency
When does decency trump partisan politics? That is a question that was asked just a couple of days before Rep. Charlie Norwood's recent death. The author was comparing the reaction of the left side of the blogosphere, in their reaction to Rep. Norwood's illness, to the right side and their reaction to Sen Tim Johnson's (D-SD) illness and lamenting the lack of civility from our "friends" on the left.
"Showing his personal stripes as a hateful, callous “progressive,” Matthews, under the title "Charlie Norwood coming home; won't resign seat,” such remarks as, “Oddly he may actually make a case for Dr. Kevorkian style euthanasia in his waning days,” and “...if he is refusing treatment, the least he could while still alive is to resign the seat with dignity intact”. That last had the obligatory “We certainly wish the best for Congressman Norwood” tacked on to the front of it, but, given the context, it does not seem possible that any eight-word phrase could ring more hollow.
Referring to options for district representation in the event that Norwood passes away during this term in Congress, Matthews said that “Governor Perdue will have to call a special election after Norwood's evidently eventual extinction”, and offered up Terry Holley, the Democrat nominee whom Norwood defeated 67.4% to 32.6% this past November, as a candidate for the potentially open seat, citing the fact that it will be “a non-partisan election so he may actually have a chance this time..... Interestingly, Republicans had the opportunity to show how they would handle a similar situation last December, when Senator Tim Johnson (D-SD) suffered bleeding in the brain as a result of a congenital malformation, and underwent emergency brain surgery. Rather than striving for political expediency at the expense of decency, Republicans, such as those at conservative blog RedState.com, neither called on Senator Johnson to resign, nor excoriated him for not doing so – despite a barely Democratic Senate, which could have been made into an effective Republican majority (counting the Vice President’s vote) had Johnson resigned and been replaced by a Republican gubernatorial appointee. Instead, statements such as "Our thoughts and prayers are with the senator and his family,” “We wish Senator Johnson a speedy recovery,” and, “Our thoughts and prayers remain with Senator Johnson” were the norm – a far cry from the statements of this former Democratic Party Chairman."
It is this coursening of debate that I remarked on here. I was not the least bit surprised to get a typical "well thought out" response from an "anonymous" liberal commenter. It's sad that these folks can't put partisanship aside for one minute to wish an opponent well in his illness.
Relax anonymous. Politics is not the most important thing in the world. Human relationships are. Do you talk to everyone in the same manner you "talked" to me?
"Showing his personal stripes as a hateful, callous “progressive,” Matthews, under the title "Charlie Norwood coming home; won't resign seat,” such remarks as, “Oddly he may actually make a case for Dr. Kevorkian style euthanasia in his waning days,” and “...if he is refusing treatment, the least he could while still alive is to resign the seat with dignity intact”. That last had the obligatory “We certainly wish the best for Congressman Norwood” tacked on to the front of it, but, given the context, it does not seem possible that any eight-word phrase could ring more hollow.
Referring to options for district representation in the event that Norwood passes away during this term in Congress, Matthews said that “Governor Perdue will have to call a special election after Norwood's evidently eventual extinction”, and offered up Terry Holley, the Democrat nominee whom Norwood defeated 67.4% to 32.6% this past November, as a candidate for the potentially open seat, citing the fact that it will be “a non-partisan election so he may actually have a chance this time..... Interestingly, Republicans had the opportunity to show how they would handle a similar situation last December, when Senator Tim Johnson (D-SD) suffered bleeding in the brain as a result of a congenital malformation, and underwent emergency brain surgery. Rather than striving for political expediency at the expense of decency, Republicans, such as those at conservative blog RedState.com, neither called on Senator Johnson to resign, nor excoriated him for not doing so – despite a barely Democratic Senate, which could have been made into an effective Republican majority (counting the Vice President’s vote) had Johnson resigned and been replaced by a Republican gubernatorial appointee. Instead, statements such as "Our thoughts and prayers are with the senator and his family,” “We wish Senator Johnson a speedy recovery,” and, “Our thoughts and prayers remain with Senator Johnson” were the norm – a far cry from the statements of this former Democratic Party Chairman."
It is this coursening of debate that I remarked on here. I was not the least bit surprised to get a typical "well thought out" response from an "anonymous" liberal commenter. It's sad that these folks can't put partisanship aside for one minute to wish an opponent well in his illness.
Relax anonymous. Politics is not the most important thing in the world. Human relationships are. Do you talk to everyone in the same manner you "talked" to me?
Labels: Bloggers and Blogging
posted by The Lady Logician at
4:41 PM
2 Comments:
Of course I don't. I only talk this way to people who pretend to be nice while arguing with complete sincerity against the provision of health insurance to innocent children in a society where coverage is a predicate to actual medical care.
Some things are too brutal to leave to politeness.
By
Anonymous, at 7:12 PM
So now you are clairvoyant - you know what people are thinking? Of course you don't which is why your comment is an excellent illustration of what I was talking about.
LL
By
The Lady Logician, at 6:04 PM
Post a Comment
<< Home