The 'civility' debate isn't about language, it's about power

[kpete]

by: Mark Sumner

...the demand being made for “civility” isn’t about language at all. It’s about throwing a ring of protection around the powerful. It’s about pretending that people whose actions wreck millions of lives on a whim, are cocooned from the consequences of their actions, not just because they have money, and connections, and resources, but because their power puts them on a different plane.

The idea that “politics” represents some kind of insulating blanket, that someone should be able to take any action in the service of a political office, then stroll out into the street and be treated with cheery “civility,” giving no consequence to what they’ve done in their day job, is not just foolish. It’s dangerous. That’s not civility. That’s royalty.




MORE:
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2018/6/26/1775471/-The-civility-debate-isn-t-about-language-it-s-about-power

[lagomorph777]

1. It's a cute trick that works on polite people.

We have to dispense with the luxury of politeness on this battlefield.

[Wounded Bear]

2. Yep, it's allowable to hurl insults downward, not upward...

It's why conservative comedy is an oxymoron, it tends to be based on making fun of perceived lessors.