"If you defend appalling behavior (your own or that of others) in a "polite" tone of voice, you aren't "civil." You're complicit. You're an enabler. You're full of sh-t." (Photo: @BusinessInsider/Twitter)
Jun 29, 2018
A few thoughts on the "civility" of our political discourse.
First off, if Donald Trump is the leader of your party, your accusations of incivility are as laughable as can be - like Sarah Palin accusing someone of being stupid, or Matthew McConaughey accusing someone of being vain.
Secondly, if you defend appalling behavior (your own or that of others) in a "polite" tone of voice, you aren't "civil." You're complicit. You're an enabler. You're full of sh-t.
Thirdly, what matters - and what we ought to be distressed and outraged about - is a revoltingly "uncivil" (hateful, violent, racist, entitled, rapacious, etc.) world view and the revoltingly uncivil (hateful, violent, racist, entitled, rapacious, etc.) policies and behavior that this world view inspires.
F-ck Trump; f-ck anyone who continues to support him, and f-ck the rapacious, evil, libertarian billionaires who finance all of this.
Here, off the top of my head, are a few highlights of the GOP agenda. The Islamaphobic travel ban. An aggressive effort to strip millions of health coverage. Depraved indifference to the suffering of the people of Puerto Rico (and Flint, etc., etc.). Kids in cages. The facilitation of gun violence, mass incarceration, and corporate plunder. The vilification of Muslims, Latin Americans, African Americans, refugees, and social justice activists. Climate change denial, and the subsidization of the destruction of the planet. Attacks on public education, and the facilitation of plunder by for-profit "educators." The relentless dis-empowerment of workers and their representatives. Defense of police violence. Indifference to deep and enduring poverty in the US and around the world. Attacks on women's health, and the right of women to make decisions about their bodies and their health. A ferocious and hateful anti-LBGTQ agenda. The exploitation and privatization of public land for profit. Tax cuts for corporations and the super-wealthy, and serial attacks on Medicare and Social Security because, um, "we can't afford it."
If you are an architect, facilitator and/or supporter of all of this, and I call you an a--hole, I am not the one who's being "uncivil."
For many decades (long before Trump) the Republican Party and its rich patrons have been working actively and consciously to make the world a more violent, racist, exploitative, and unequal place. (And, by the way, too many Democrats have happily played along.) That is "uncivil." Calling an a--hole an a--hole is an uncomfortable truth.
This is often on my mind: F-ck Trump; f-ck anyone who continues to support him, and f-ck the rapacious, evil, libertarian billionaires who finance all of this.
If these F-bombs are distracting from the more important issues, fine. I'll try to keep it clean. Still, clearly, Trump, the Kochs, and their enablers deserve them.
Why Your Ongoing Support Is Essential
Donald Trump’s attacks on democracy, justice, and a free press are escalating — putting everything we stand for at risk. We believe a better world is possible, but we can’t get there without your support. Common Dreams stands apart. We answer only to you — our readers, activists, and changemakers — not to billionaires or corporations. Our independence allows us to cover the vital stories that others won’t, spotlighting movements for peace, equality, and human rights. Right now, our work faces unprecedented challenges. Misinformation is spreading, journalists are under attack, and financial pressures are mounting. As a reader-supported, nonprofit newsroom, your support is crucial to keep this journalism alive. Whatever you can give — $10, $25, or $100 — helps us stay strong and responsive when the world needs us most. Together, we’ll continue to build the independent, courageous journalism our movement relies on. Thank you for being part of this community. |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
Tim Koechlin
Tim Koechlin holds a PhD in economics. He is the Director of the International Studies Program at Vassar College, where he has an appointment in International Studies and Urban Studies. Professor Koechlin has taught and written about a variety of subjects including economic, political and racial inequality; globalization; macroeconomic policy, and urban political economy.
A few thoughts on the "civility" of our political discourse.
First off, if Donald Trump is the leader of your party, your accusations of incivility are as laughable as can be - like Sarah Palin accusing someone of being stupid, or Matthew McConaughey accusing someone of being vain.
Secondly, if you defend appalling behavior (your own or that of others) in a "polite" tone of voice, you aren't "civil." You're complicit. You're an enabler. You're full of sh-t.
Thirdly, what matters - and what we ought to be distressed and outraged about - is a revoltingly "uncivil" (hateful, violent, racist, entitled, rapacious, etc.) world view and the revoltingly uncivil (hateful, violent, racist, entitled, rapacious, etc.) policies and behavior that this world view inspires.
F-ck Trump; f-ck anyone who continues to support him, and f-ck the rapacious, evil, libertarian billionaires who finance all of this.
Here, off the top of my head, are a few highlights of the GOP agenda. The Islamaphobic travel ban. An aggressive effort to strip millions of health coverage. Depraved indifference to the suffering of the people of Puerto Rico (and Flint, etc., etc.). Kids in cages. The facilitation of gun violence, mass incarceration, and corporate plunder. The vilification of Muslims, Latin Americans, African Americans, refugees, and social justice activists. Climate change denial, and the subsidization of the destruction of the planet. Attacks on public education, and the facilitation of plunder by for-profit "educators." The relentless dis-empowerment of workers and their representatives. Defense of police violence. Indifference to deep and enduring poverty in the US and around the world. Attacks on women's health, and the right of women to make decisions about their bodies and their health. A ferocious and hateful anti-LBGTQ agenda. The exploitation and privatization of public land for profit. Tax cuts for corporations and the super-wealthy, and serial attacks on Medicare and Social Security because, um, "we can't afford it."
If you are an architect, facilitator and/or supporter of all of this, and I call you an a--hole, I am not the one who's being "uncivil."
For many decades (long before Trump) the Republican Party and its rich patrons have been working actively and consciously to make the world a more violent, racist, exploitative, and unequal place. (And, by the way, too many Democrats have happily played along.) That is "uncivil." Calling an a--hole an a--hole is an uncomfortable truth.
This is often on my mind: F-ck Trump; f-ck anyone who continues to support him, and f-ck the rapacious, evil, libertarian billionaires who finance all of this.
If these F-bombs are distracting from the more important issues, fine. I'll try to keep it clean. Still, clearly, Trump, the Kochs, and their enablers deserve them.
Tim Koechlin
Tim Koechlin holds a PhD in economics. He is the Director of the International Studies Program at Vassar College, where he has an appointment in International Studies and Urban Studies. Professor Koechlin has taught and written about a variety of subjects including economic, political and racial inequality; globalization; macroeconomic policy, and urban political economy.
A few thoughts on the "civility" of our political discourse.
First off, if Donald Trump is the leader of your party, your accusations of incivility are as laughable as can be - like Sarah Palin accusing someone of being stupid, or Matthew McConaughey accusing someone of being vain.
Secondly, if you defend appalling behavior (your own or that of others) in a "polite" tone of voice, you aren't "civil." You're complicit. You're an enabler. You're full of sh-t.
Thirdly, what matters - and what we ought to be distressed and outraged about - is a revoltingly "uncivil" (hateful, violent, racist, entitled, rapacious, etc.) world view and the revoltingly uncivil (hateful, violent, racist, entitled, rapacious, etc.) policies and behavior that this world view inspires.
F-ck Trump; f-ck anyone who continues to support him, and f-ck the rapacious, evil, libertarian billionaires who finance all of this.
Here, off the top of my head, are a few highlights of the GOP agenda. The Islamaphobic travel ban. An aggressive effort to strip millions of health coverage. Depraved indifference to the suffering of the people of Puerto Rico (and Flint, etc., etc.). Kids in cages. The facilitation of gun violence, mass incarceration, and corporate plunder. The vilification of Muslims, Latin Americans, African Americans, refugees, and social justice activists. Climate change denial, and the subsidization of the destruction of the planet. Attacks on public education, and the facilitation of plunder by for-profit "educators." The relentless dis-empowerment of workers and their representatives. Defense of police violence. Indifference to deep and enduring poverty in the US and around the world. Attacks on women's health, and the right of women to make decisions about their bodies and their health. A ferocious and hateful anti-LBGTQ agenda. The exploitation and privatization of public land for profit. Tax cuts for corporations and the super-wealthy, and serial attacks on Medicare and Social Security because, um, "we can't afford it."
If you are an architect, facilitator and/or supporter of all of this, and I call you an a--hole, I am not the one who's being "uncivil."
For many decades (long before Trump) the Republican Party and its rich patrons have been working actively and consciously to make the world a more violent, racist, exploitative, and unequal place. (And, by the way, too many Democrats have happily played along.) That is "uncivil." Calling an a--hole an a--hole is an uncomfortable truth.
This is often on my mind: F-ck Trump; f-ck anyone who continues to support him, and f-ck the rapacious, evil, libertarian billionaires who finance all of this.
If these F-bombs are distracting from the more important issues, fine. I'll try to keep it clean. Still, clearly, Trump, the Kochs, and their enablers deserve them.
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.