Although I consider voting to be one of the greatest privileges of being a U.S. citizen and one in which I participate regularly, the overt animus during an election year is, to me, one of the signs of a society in decline. I may disagree with your political beliefs or those of the people in office, but I will always strive to behave in a civilized, adult manner when expressing that disagreement. What I see online reveals some unpleasant things not only about people in general, but sometimes about people I consider friends. Can anyone say “Civility?” Evidently not.
I think this man would be spinning in his grave at the state of the union these days. However, in this photo, he’s looking rather a-door-able.
This, that and the other thing 
Written for my #WWOW (Wy’s Ways of Wellness).
Thanks!
Do you mean you shared this somewhere? What happened to your blog? When I click on the name, it says it doesn’t exist. I’m so confused.
janet
Janet I could not agree more with you. This decline is evident all over the world — even my quiet little corner of the Pacific. Would that we all took your words onboard and behaved like adults — addressing ourselves to the words, not the speaker. Cheers, Su
Facebook is particularly awful for this, Su. It’s easy to post a nasty meme or status. Often I don’t even bother to reply because the “discussion” is simply mean-spirited (at best) and nasty at worst.
I agree Janet. I almost never engage in FaceBook “conversation” — certainly about any political or social issue. I wonder sometimes if people actually realise that what they say on FaceBook is PUBLIC!
I’d laugh if it weren’t so true, Su. Unfortunately, I think too many know it’s public and just don’t think they have to be civil.
Yes I agree, I think there is a certain political figure at the moment who is largely featured. sadly I think the seriousness as in the frightening path he is taking is often lost in the memes and people think by making fun of him, they are saying no one is taking him seriously but from what I can glean many are. I am not American so am very naive when it comes to your political system so I stay away from posting anything about it but recently I have been feeling that actually if for some reason he should make it through there may be serious world repercussions so for that reason I did post what I thought was a very good open letter by a young man who attended a rally because he and his mate thought it might be a bit of a hoot and fodder for poking fun. This young man came away very scared at what he witnessed and wrote a very good response to it. there have been several other well-penned response that I have seen since.
On a lighter note, I used your post as inspiration for post #143 scheduled in a couple of days,I have linked it back to you. Thank you!
I find the other leading candidate/s just as scary. She/they are just much more nuanced about it. On a lighter note, too, always glad to inspire someone. 🙂
janet
I guess they are just true politicians! A scary world that often seems to lose its way!
A-door-able.
That’s great.
I’d say you got a good handle on it today.
And I particularly like your comments on political civility and today’sthis is your place sad state of political discourse.
I hope many good doors open for you today.
Randy
Got a good handle on it? Nicely done, Randy. Today most of the doors opening for me will be at work and I need to get going in order to be ready to leave in an hour. Thanks, as always, for stopping by. Hope your day is great as well.
janet
I like the door, and I really like the commentary. It’s an embarrassing and scary time for our nation. I think a lot of people have forgotten civility, and the resulting picture is not a pretty one. Trudeau may get more takers than he imagined when he invited those that were unsatisfied to come north.
I’m not sure it’s any better in other places, Judy. I really think the internet contributes directly to this incivility. It’s easy to remain anonymous and to say ignorant and nasty things without any sort of repercussions other than more of the same from others.
I got in a FB discussion last week with a friend who blamed Trump for the behavior of those at his rally. While I don’t think anyone should say some of the things he does, he’s far from the only person who’s done this sort of thing, Al Sharpton and Jessse Jackson coming to mind as well as others. My point was that people need to be adult enough not to react in uncivil, or worse, ways. It’s our responsibility as adults to control ourselves and no one is forced to do something wrong by someone else telling them to do so. (Let’s discount here situations where a family is under threat, etc.) My friend just couldn’t see that point and if adults can’t see that, what hope have we?
janet
Excellent thoughts… I could not agree more! (Interesting door too!)
Thanks, Galen. It’s distressing and makes listening to the news frustrating.
janet
LOVE! Oh that’s fabulous!
Thanks, Joey. I thought it was pretty cool when I saw it.
janet
So sad yet so true Janet. I strongly feel that this whole distasteful way of doing politics is the number one reason why so many people have become disenchanted with the voting process. It’s not quite as bad here, and based on our federal election last fall, I can say that it actually got a little better, so there is some reason for hope 🙂
Agree, agree, agree…I do remain hopeful, but it is hard based on politics in 2016.
I agree, wholeheartedly with your discussion and love the “a-door-able” tag 🙂
Too puny! Civility, did that help? Great image.
Great doors. I’m doing my best to avoid the discussion.
*sigh*
That’s all I’ve got. It sums up how I feel about the train wreck happening right now in US politics. I dearly hope for sanity to prevail before it’s too late!
… and the door is absolutely perfect!
Glad you enjoyed the door, Joanne. I don’t think the US is alone in this sort of animus, but we’re living in it, so it seems much worse.
janet
I couldn’t agree more Janet. Watching from the outside and reliant on heavily biased to tabloid news reports, I find what is happening in USA, at best, theatrical, and at worst, somewhat frightening!! I do hope common sense prevails over competitiveness. Love your word pun!!
I’d be happy if everyone, voters and candidates alike, would deal with issue and positions (rather than attacking people) in a civil way, realizing that you can disagree with everything a person thinks without demonizing him/her/that person’s family and do so in a civil way. Adult behavior is in short supply, not just in the US, when dealing with politics.
It is common in most countries at the moment. In times of fear and insecurity, extremist politics seems to come to the fore. It is just that the world watches America more closely.
Amanda, I agree. The extremes of ISIS/IS and similar groups make these issues appear mere annoyances.
janet
Politics is an area in which people become quite heated. My family used to say that you can’t talk with each other in a civil manner about politics or religion. It seems to be true to some degree. Obviously, we aren’t all going to see eye to eye, but we can learn to tolerate a lot better than we’ve been doing for years!
I think we need to!
janet
Thank you for visiting me today! It took me some moments to realize what people see when they stand in front ot this door – two eyes staring at your:):)
Never wanted to believe this, but I got clobbered a few weeks ago for stating my opinion on social media – fortunately my friend I stated it to, was not involved in it. The irony is that it really is an opinion, because I’m Dutch and not an American citizen, so I can’t vote. If there’s no discussion possible I hit the “block” button.
I’m often appalled at the comments that you find at the end of online articles. It’s as if people think they can say what they please, and in any way the want, if they’re not face to face. Who knows? Maybe they’d do the same face to face. I enjoy a civil discussion, but too many aren’t.
Glad you enjoyed the George Washington door. 🙂
janet
Am surprised at all the anger and hatred that’s coming out now. But maybe it was already there before, and I just didn’t know it, because I hardly was on social media a few years ago…
Social media, and just the internet in general, has made it easy to put opinions out there without any real repercussions (except for other people being nasty in return.) There are pros and cons to everything and our job has to be to control what we can and stay away from the rest as much as possible. Not nearly as easy to do as to say, of course. 🙂
janet
Civil, in this context means courteous and polite. In a way, it is much like the golden rule. Whenever and however we communicate, it’s important to take a deep breath before we speak of send. Ask “is this a message I would want to receive — from anyone?” If you say no, hit delete instead of send!
True. I just wish people would do this.
janet
Love the door, and your thoughts mirror my own. I dropped out of FB a couple of years ago. I miss seeing what friends are doing, but since their friends I keep in touch via txt msging, calling, emails. I I don’t regret cutting that cord. In any as someone said, “these are interesting times.”
Although probably not really an ancient Chinese curse, the phrase “May you live in interesting times” could certainly apply around the world these days. I still enjoy enough aspects of FB, including talking live with my s-i-l in France, but I stay away much of the time.
janet
spot on! I love your door as well as your words.
Thanks very much, Klara.
janet
Society is falling apart all over. Until recently Holland was (sort of) paradise on earth. It still is in a way but since we had some political murders overhere everything changed. There is a Dutch politician, Geert Wilders, who is driving our society apart. It will erupt soon. But. Nice door, great statement! A-door-able 🙂 Thanks for sharing this complete new challenge: A-door-able doors!
Geert, glad you like the photo and the a-door-able (one of the thoughts for a name for Norm’s challenge.) I understand what you’re saying about Holland. There have been some very difficult times and terrible things happening there and in other places in Europe, such as Paris and many places in England.
janet
Nice door and well stated blog. Political Correctness served its place and all that participated in dismantling it will soon see the impoliteness bouncing back at them; the genie is now out of the bottle.
If all those who were so rude and nasty could have it bounce back on them, it would be wonderful. 🙂 Thanks for stopping by and taking the time to comment as well.
janet
Couldn’t agree with you more Janet! Sadly I think all the ‘civilised’ world has the same problem these days I suppose the only positive being that at least we do have elections!
Jane, you’re exactly right: having elections that are, more or less legitimate, is a huge blessing. The fact that there are still people outraged by this type of behavior is a blessing, as is the fact that (probably) most of these loud-mouths aren’t like that in their own lives, at least overtly. The “civilized” world has many blessings, but an over-abundance of civility, at least in an election year, doesn’t seem to be one of them. I think the saddest thing is that when you call someone on what they said, or at least how they said it, they either don’t seem to care or don’t even acknowledge the nastiness of it (or both), just try to point out where someone on “the other side” might have done or said worse.
Yes it’s all ‘tit for tat’ politics these days isn’t Janet – same in En gland and France too sadly. Would be so nice to see a resurgence in good old fashioned politeness – might be a vote winner too!
Unfortunately, the animus isn’t just from some of the candidates, but from the partisan followers. It’s the same nastiness that keeps me from ever reading comments after online news articles or political/religious blog posts. The amount of unthinking and blind hatred out there is something scary, as is the willingness to show it in (online) public.
Sadly true Janet!
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