Bastian letter: Civility
Many of us can be so kind and compassionate to refugees and foreigners from another country; yet we struggle to show our fellow Americans the same respect and civility. Our civil discourse has become painfully crude, damaging and mean-spirited. On a recent evening’s news, one fellow American showed the bloody, mutilated and decapitated head of the president of the United States, while making hateful and derogatory claims, as if she wanted him killed without a fair trial.
Our body politic and public schools need to include greater civility. Gordon Hinckley wrote: “Civility carries with it the essence of courtesy, politeness and consideration of others. All of the education and accomplishments in the world will not count for much unless they are accompanied by gentility and of respect for others.”
It has been observed, “No nation can be greater than its individuals and the virtue of its people. Sadly, many today say ours is a nation is crisis. Families are splintering around us, our children are becoming alienated from their great cultural heritage, and our leaders seem increasingly out of touch.”
However, we must not lose hope. The solution is “doing unto others as you would have them do unto you.”
Morris Bastian, Boise
This story was originally published June 13, 2017 at 3:53 PM with the headline "Bastian letter: Civility."