University of Arizona sets up a Civility Institute
The Character Building Project applauds University of Arizona for setting up a Civility Institute. The University of Arizona — whose Tucson campus President Obama used for his nationwide address on civility after the shooting of Representative Gabrielle Giffords last month announced on Monday that it is establishing an institute to promote compromise among opposing political parties and views, the organization’s director said. CBP has several posts on the restoration of some sense of civility in our politics. Please see posts below.
IS CIVILITY IN CAMPAIGNING GONE FOREVER?
Journal Entry by Michael on July 27, 2010
All of us, no doubt have problems with poorly controlled anger, especially, politicians in the heat of a campaign. So when does aggressive campaigning deviate from righteous anger to seething sinful anger? Is it possible to campaign, much less build a society, in which we act with respect for our ad …
THE CONSEQUENCES OF THE COLLAPSE OF CIVIL SOCIETY
Journal Entry by Michael on June 15, 2010
My approach when crafting a blog entry is to pick and choose editorials from differing information sources, when possible, and study those that differ with my worldview. For example, often times I read editorials from the Huffington Post, The Progressive Review, and even the New York Times–major ch …
WHAT ARE THE CONSEQUENCES IF THE DECLINE OF CIVILITY CONTINUES?
Journal Entry by Michael on August 28, 2010
There is an erosion of character-based leadership in our politics. Our country is more polarized than ever and cooperation is less common. Civility has not always prevailed in our country and its role in our political culture cannot be taken for granted. We have an increasingly uncivil congress and …
REGARDING THE COLLAPSE OF CIVILITY IN OUR POLITICS
Journal Entry by Michael on August 27, 2010
All agree there is a striking collapse of civility in our politics and most would agree there is in decline in our culture over the past 40 years. The question is… what do we do about it? I feel an urgency to pass on the politics of virtue and fundamental priorities to my grandchildren and to th …
Tom Bliley: Serving Constituents with Civility
Journal Entry by Michael on August 12, 2010
Faith was important to the Bliley family. Tom grew up with many heroic relatives who unselfishly gave their entire lives to God’s service within the Catholic Church. When forced as Mayor of Richmond to implement court-ordered school busing, which was anathema to much of his Richmond cons …
What can I do about building character in American politics?
Journal Entry by Michael on September 10, 2010
Read Politics with Principle: Ten Characters with Character . Support the Character Building Project and our mission of increasing civility at minimum and virtue literacy as a higher goal among our public officials and our fellow-Americans. Let’s start today and demand a return to civility by …
What I hope you will get in reading Politics with Principle
Journal Entry by Michael on September 7, 2010
I hope to share Politics with Principle with those in politics and those who plan a career in politics. I intend to raise awareness among all who will listen about the importance of civility at minimum and of cultivating in their daily lives, something as old as Greece and Rome, the Aristotelian hab …
IS THERE A CIVILITY CRISIS IN AMERICAN POLITICS?
Journal Entry by Michael on September 12, 2010
Among my goals in writing Politics with Principle: 10 Characters with Character was to further the discussion about increasing civility among our citizens and public officials. Campaign attack advertisements are effective and increasing while charitable contributions and volunteerism are dec …
ISN’T IT ABOUT TIME CAMPAIGNS BE CONDUCTED IN A CIVIL MANNER?
Journal Entry by Michael on September 22, 2010
Over the last six posts, with the help of Professor Stephen L. Carter, we have pointed out what civility is and is not. Civility is the disciplining of our passions for the sake of living a common life with our fellow citizens. Whereas leading lives only according to our own selfish desires is at th …
What do we do about the Collapse of Civility in our Politics?
Journal Entry by Michael on August 26, 2010
All agree there is a striking collapse of civility in our politics and most would agree there is in decline in our culture over the past 40 years. The question is… what do we do about it? I feel an urgency to pass on the politics of virtue and fundamental priorities to my grandchildren and to t …
Mike, A Civility Institute run by a modern day educational institution that only deals in political correctness (Arizona may be different) accomplishes little. I believe I see a lot of civil disagreement taking place that is countered by arguments that avoid the facts being presented and make personal accusations of the presenter to avoid the subject being addressed. Harry Reid is the best example of the latter portion of my observation. I dont see the presentations of Glenn Beck as anything other than civil with the facts as he believes they are. I admit I have difficulty reaching middle ground as I want to be civil but when I believe an argument is based in less than factual support I become sinfully angry. I have read enough of Winston Churchill to love his civil approach to an argument and suddenly the individual that he is having discourse with while looking in the mirror sees his head held in his hands. Most politicians today do not look in the mirror. I apologize to you that my comments are based only on your Civility Institute post and I am hoping you wont embarrass me by asking for a donation.
Hopefully, civility will be more of an issue in our presidential campaign. Thanks for your interest