That's Not Nice

Peggy Noonan had a wonderful column in the Wall Street Journal about the level of political discourse currently under the title “That’s Not Nice”.

Here are some quotes:

“One of the clearest statements ever about the implied limits of legitimate political discourse was made by the imprisoned Socrates in his first dialogue with Crito, when he said, "That's not nice." Actually, it was your grandmother who said "That's not nice." She's the one who probably taught you the wince. It is her wisdom, encapsulated in those three simple words, that is missing from the current debate.”

“But all of broken-windows theory comes down to what Grandma always knew and said: "Fix the window or they'll think no one cares! When people think no one cares, they do whatever they want." There was not a single grandmother in America circa 1750-2007 who didn't know this. But no one wants to quote Grandma. She's so yesterday. And her simple teachings have been superseded by more exotic forms of instruction.”

“Fifty years ago no one speaking at a respected political gathering would say, would even think of saying that Adlai Stevenson is a faggot. Nor would Arthur Godfrey or Jack Paar have declared on their television shows that we'd be better off if Eisenhower died. Is our discourse deteriorating? Yes, it is.”

“We should forbid less and demand more. We should exert less pressure from without and encourage more discipline from within. We should ask people to be dignified, hope they'll be generous, expect them to be fair. When they're not, we should correct them. But

we shouldn’t beat them to a pulp. Because that’s not nice.”

The left and right first of all thought if they raised their voice a little louder…

When that did not work, the talked over each other…

When that did not work the resorted to words…. Lied! Duped us! Faggot! “We would be better off if he were dead!

Notice… None of those talk about ideas, none is an argument; in fact, it is the antithesis of an argument! When you hear nasty words it indicates that the talker is out of ideas and is out of the argument.

Not just the talk show people are into this… the leaders of the Democratic and Republican Party are into it! You have to hand it to the President… he may not have done the thing we think he ought, but he has never resorted to words that our grandmothers would say; “That’s not nice!”