What do you do when someone criticizes you in a manner that you consider uncivil?

1. Prohibit them from running for class office, and when the student body elects them anyway, disregard the vote of the student body.
2. Drag them away, taser them and attempt to justify your action by saying they were resisting arrest.
3. Introduce an amendment in Congress on an unrelated bill appropriations bill attacking the critic.
4. Act like an adult.

I’ve been thinking a lot about issues of civility recently. A friend has pointed me to the National Civility Center and I’ve been wanting to write about their great work. My wife just started a thread over on Salon’s Table Talk to:

discuss, civilly and with good humor, the merits and flaws of our candidates. Not a thread for spamming of polls and endorsements or name calling. We all have our favorites, but we're going to have to pull together come summer and get behind the same guy or gal. Share your stories of why you love your candidate, discuss policy differences or similarities, or just chat about the latest fundraiser or canvassing effort.

They are have a lively and civil discussion.

So, what is it with Superintendent Schwartz, the police at University of Florida and Sen. Coryn of Texas? Perhaps it is less about civility, and more about exerting control.

When Avery Doninger referred to the folks at the central office in Region 10 as douchebags, she acted in a manner that I think was uncivil. Her mother dealt with it in an appropriate and adult manner. Superintendent Schwartz and Principal Niehoff reacted in an over reaching and inappropriate manner. People from the area have told me that these sort of actions are typical of Superintendent Schwartz and have suggested that she needs anger management classes. There actions have resulted in people rallying behind Avery and further criticizing Schwartz and Niehoff. In a few weeks, there will be a fundraiser for Avery’s appeal of Judge Kravitz’s ruling. His ruling also invoked the ideal of civility without showing any understanding of how to promote civility.

So, whether or not you can make it to Poets and Writers For Avery, please contribute at http://defendfreespeech.chipin.com/avery-doninger-appeal-to-2nd-circuit. or by clicking on the widget on the right.

Then, there is the case of tasering of University of Florida student who asked some long rambling, and perhaps inappropriate questions of Sen. Kerry. Perhaps the questions were uncivil. Yet Sen. Kerry handled it in an adult and appropriate manner. In contrast, the University Police acted in an over reaching and inappropriate manner. People from the area have told me that these sort of actions are typical and have suggested that local police and elected officials need anger management classes. (Those wanting more details should Google Charlie Grapski and find out about his experiences. These actions have resulted in people rallying behind Andrew Meyer.

Today, I got an email from MoveOn. Personally, I think it was uncivil for MoveOn to have called Gen. Petreaus names. It takes away from the very serious allegations about his inability to provide honest and independent information and about how closely he works with the White House and Republican leaders. I believe that Elizabeth Edwards dealt with it in an appropriate and adult manner. However, Sen. Coryn of Texas has introduced an amendment to a transportation, housing and urban development bill “to specifically repudiate the unwarranted personal attack on General Petraeus by the liberal activist group Moveon.org.” People from the area have told me that these sort of actions are typical of Sen. Coryn and have suggested that he needs anger management classes. There actions have resulted in people rallying behind Moveon. So, after you’ve chipped in to help defray Avery’s appeal costs, be sure to call your senators and express outrage at people who try to suppress free speech in the name of civility by introducing unrelated amendments to important legislation.

Civility is important. It is too important to allow people like Superintendent Schwartz, Principal Niefhoff, Sen. Coryn and the University of Florida police to try and use it as an excuse to shut down discourse and exert control. Somehow, all of their actions remind me of the great old quote from Mayor Daley, “The policeman isn't there to create disorder. The policeman is there to preserve disorder.”

Updates: Today, I got an email inviting me to the Take the Civility Pledge action on Changes.org. Please consider taking the pledge.