Civility can be over-rated

Being polite and considerate is one of the hallmarks of a gentleman or lady. It is part of the social lubrication that allows us to live in close proximity to others without a great deal of conflict. Besides, it is simply moral and good to be thoughtful and considerate of others.

Civility, however, is a word that has been hijacked by the Left - as so many words and terms have been, to their detriment. People, especially on the Left, like to claim you are not being "civil" when you call them on their bullshit, when you accurately characterize their words or their behavior. It is a handy way of deflecting discourse from their failings, the poverty of their arguments, instead of arguing the facts of the matter or, at least, the opinions being discussed.

Here is a post from a lovely doctor of aerospace medicine and psychiatrist who blogs under the name of Dr. Sanity:

Wednesday, April 06, 2011

ONE LAST WORD ON FREEDOM OF SPEECH--OK, MAYBE NOT THE LAST WORD !

"On the right to offend others, Mark Steyn today says that he is sick of "member(s) of the governing class far too comfortable with the idea that he and his colleagues should determine the bounds of public discourse." He goes on to quote James Allan:

The only valuable sort of freedom of speech is the sort that allows people to do or to say what others find wrong-headed, offensive, distasteful and intolerant.

Being free to say and do what everyone else wants you to say and do is not a liberty or freedom you will ever have to fight for; it will make little difference to anything . . .

I think any good, well-functioning democracy requires its citizens to man up and grow a thick skin. If you’re offended, tell us why the speaker is wrong. Don’t ask for a court-ordered apology and some two-bit declaration.

When did our skins get so thin? When did a withering look, a contemptuous comment or displaying a complete indifference to people who are offensive and total idiots to boot get replaced by those politically correct "court ordered" apologies and the whining public displays of victimhood?

Like Steyn, I'm sick of it. In fact, any society that prides itself on being free and standing for individual rights should be rather nauseated by it.

Imagine the hurt feelings of all those Brits when our forefathers dumped their precious tea into Boston Harbor! Why, the horror of it all is just overwhelming! It led to war, but then we Americans weren't as afraid of the consequences of symbolic gestures and pushing the envelope of free speech. We believed we had a right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

This is not my last word on freedom of speech...it is too important to leave to the likes of Lindsey Graham or intolerant Muslim clerics.

Damn their hurt feelings and outraged sensibilities and full speed ahead!"

No civility for Islam

Ann Barnhardt knows what it means to speak the truth instead of hiding it behind political correctness, or fear of upsetting the muslim savages who follow Islam. She knows there is no such thing as "radical Islam". Any true believer of Islam accepts all of the violence, homo- and hetero-pederasty, rapine, spousal abuse and other filth that is commanded in the pages of the Quran, Hadith and Sira. Any so-called "moderate" muslim is either A) an apostate, who denies the true teachings and commands of Islam, or B) lying (taqqiyah) to advance the success of jihad by violence, stealth, and birth rate.

Ann did two youtube videos that are excellent on the recent brouhaha over the burning of a Quran by Pastor Terry Jones. In the first, she eviscerates that monumental RINO jackass, Lindsey Graham. In the second she explains why the Quran and Islam are an obscenity, and why it does the world a service to burn a Quran:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qeyrp-V3Jvc&feature=player_embedded

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_LCLDjPNpf4&feature=related

Read more from Ann at: http://www.barnhardt.biz/