Where Is Civil Discourse?

This morning’s Gazette featured an article about Council Member Jerry Heimlicher’s resignation from Colorado Springs City Council, in which Mr. Heimlicher asked his interviewer: “Did you read the blogs on the first story about me leaving? Eighty-nine as of last night, and 86 of them were ‘Glad he’s going,’ ‘About time,’ ‘Jumping rat leaving ship,’ ‘Now it’s time to get the other eight.’”

Earlier this week, during an emotional outburst on the House floor, a lawmaker shouted “You lie!” during a presidential address to congress.

Health care town halls across the nation have been met with unruly protests, and some have even resulted in violence.

These events leave me cold, and they make me wonder: where is civil discourse?

I am proud to be involved with Citizens Project because I believe strongly that mutual respect, especially among people with differing views and beliefs, should be the bare-minimum standard for political and civic interaction.  And I believe that Citizens Project helps to advance this standard through our programs and by creating a safe space for people to courteously disagree and – hopefully – find things that we can all agree on.

What do you think?  How can CP help to create an atmosphere of decorum in the Pikes Peak region?