Civility Is Important in a Democracy. So Is Dissent.
The claim that U.S. parties equally debase political speech amounts to treating Trump as if he doesn’t count.
It starts at the top.
Photographer: Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images
A Virginia restaurant’s refusal to serve White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders and other recent incidents have sparked a big debate on civility. Here’s how we should think about this.
First: Contrary to what some Democrats say when they get scolded, democratic norms, including a default, surface-level politeness and willingness to embrace the idea (even if it’s a pretense) that all parties are working for the common good, are among the building blocks of a functioning republic. Democracy demands bargaining and compromise, and working with people for whom one might feel contempt. That’s especially true in the U.S. constitutional system, which makes it exceedingly difficult for any faction to take charge and implement its preferences all by itself.