CIVILITY AND THE VOX POPULI

For many years, dating back to the Clinton administration, many have called for a return to civility in public discourse. The vitriol of the Tea Party and its counterweighed vitriol from the other side of the political spectrum highlighted by talking-heads like Bill O'Reilly, Rachel Maddow, Glenn Beck, Keith Oberman and others have, to use a Pat Moynihan phrase: "dumbed down" the intellectual level of political discourse while elevating its volume.

The rabid nature of discussions that don't propose solutions so much as they pursue sound-bites bordering on character besmirching of political opponents must stop. Perhaps it's because I remember my GOP maternal grandfather losing a judicial race to a Democrat who was a life-long friend, and their remaining friends until Jim was killed in a plane crash, that I personally know that collegiality and civility can co-exist in a political world where elections to a given office can only have one victor.

For the United States to reclaim the mantle of a society in which politics can be discussed as civics, and done so with civility, we must do without undue reference to war analogies, "cross hairs," and other firearm and/or warfare related terms; while watching some of the more aggressive sports metaphors as substitute adverbs and adjectives. Words have consequences in the same vein as actions have recrimintions and consequences; whether or not they are ultimately adjudged to have been a probable, contributing, or proximate but foreseeable cause of some mentally unstable citizen going totally unhinged.

We must also refrain from demonizing our political opponents while using 'fishing expedition' styled hearings to ham-string free and open debate. With political results and policy the result of discussion, debate, and ultimately compromise, to move forward we must return to the days when a George Herz and a James Roe could face off across a ballot box for a 14 year judicial term and then more on. Move on in much the same way that a Mike Mansfield could have bourbon and branch with Everett Dirksen, Tip O'Neill could share an adult beverage with Ron Reagan, or a Sam Rayburn could indulge in a 'hideaway' drink with a Steve Derounian (R-NY).

If our political ruling class, in honor of Gabby Giffords, would agree to restore civility to public discourse -and insist that their supporters do so too- with the mass media holding both to account for that task, our public servants could go on to have life-long relationships without recrimination, hate, or contributing to the seemingly perpetual polluting of our political arena while our fellow citizens could then see examples of leadership. Leaders that are in fact worthy of being followed--in lieu of being scorned in much the same manner as people dislike the school yard bully and the Joe McCarthy styled demagogue.

I MUST BE GETTING OLDER-OR-TEMPIS DOES FUGIT

Yesterday, Sunday 19 December, 2010, there was a blue Cadillac sedan in front of Centerport, NY's Our Lady Queen of Martyrs Church when we arrived for 10 AM Mass. It had one of those new Sunkist Orange colored NYS license plates. It was a vanity plate reading: B-AIRLIFT. I nodded and smiled as BA and I entered the parish about 20 minutes early for Mass.

The first usher we met looked to be "about the right age." So, I went up to him and asked: "Do you know who owns the Cadillac with the Berlin Airlift license plates" I queried. "I do. It's me. How did you know that was what the plate was all about?" A pleasant conversation ensued about Frankfurt to Templhof flights, C-47's, and other aircraft, mega-tonnage of food and clothing delivered, and ended shortly after the comment "Truman did this right." I was smiling at this historic chit-chat until the former Airman said: "We're you there?" That brought me up short, but not quite as short as two summers past when a clerk at the Ellenville, NY McDonald's asked if "you want the Senior Coffee?"

Mass proceeded yesterday, officiated over by the Rev. Dr. Edward Downing Phd, SJ. During his homily, he spoke about King Ahhas, and dynastic succession in monarchial societies. He alluded to the Edward VIII abdication, noting that the late Duke of Windsor was referred to by family as 'David,' whereas his younger brother Albert was officially known pre-abdication as the Duke of York. I was fine with that recitation until the Rev. Downing, who holds a Phd in Economics and is former dean at Fordham noted: "...and the Duke of Windsor was known to his family as 'Bertie."

Perhaps because of the recent premier of the movie "The King's Speech," a movie about George VI, after Mass, and after almost all parishioners had receded, I asked Fr. Downing: "Are you sure that Edward VIII was known as 'Bertie,' since I believe that the Duke of York, George VI, was known as 'Bertie' as a derivative of his given name of Albert, which was a nick-name to which the late Queen Mother, Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon referred to her husband; to wit, Bertie?"

Ever the sage academic, our visiting priest from the Bronx was gracious in conceding that he was operating on the assumption of information given to him by another, and that in fact, 'Bertie' would make much more sense as a nickname derived from Albert than it would from 'David.' Got to love those Jesuits, even the ones whose baritone voices during the homily make you think they missed another career as a DJ!

Oh, and no, I wasn't a participant at the Berlin Airlift nor was I present when a lithe Baltimore divorcee caused a royal abdication and the subsequent royal 'elevation' of 'Bertie,' a.k.a. George VI...back in the day when British monarchs were also styled as The Defenders of the Faith (as heirs to Henry VIII and the Church of England), as well as The Emperor or The Empress of India.