Incivility is the new rude.
Whatever the label, the condition is a blight on society, affecting all social strata and walks of life. It seems that the one solid principle we can all agree on is crumbling, one dusty chunk at a time. The notion of treating one another with respect is fading, and needs to be revived.
The recent incident involving Texas Tech football coach Mike Leach, who allegedly locked an injured player in a closet for hours, is a prime example of arrogance trumping decency. Leach was fired when Texas Tech administrators could not persuade him to apologize to the player and agree to do things a little differently in the future.
Mike Leach
Leach seemed to be operating as if arrogance was an entitlement – that he can say whatever and do whatever and if other people don’t like it, tough. In one sense, he’s right – he can say what he wants in a free society without government interference. It’s in The Bill of Rights.
But Texas Tech ain’t the government. Retaliation is allowed. And Texas Tech chancellor Kent Hance used his right of free speech to utter these words: “You’re fired.”
I applaud Hance’s candor in a recent phone interview with ESPN. Normally in situations like this, you get academia-speak, something like, “After meeting with Mr. Leach, it was determined that this was the best recourse for all parties, blah-blah-blah.” No. Hance threw the penalty flag boldly and said, “We tried talking some sense into Mike and he wouldn’t listen.” Later in the interview he said, referring to Leach’s request for a court injunction, “And when you sue your employer, it’s not going to turn out well for you.”
Texas Tech is not a stuffy, by-the-book or out-the-door environment. The school that gave basketball coach Bobby Knight – the poster boy for incivility – a second chance demonstrated that along with the prestige of being a public figure comes a requirement to be socially accountable.
Kanye West's infamous mike-grab
The proliferation of cameras and microphones in our society, wielded by journalists and everyday citizens alike, has exposed countless episodes of incivility in recent months. The more notable incidents include Rep. Joe Wilson’s interruption of President Obama’s speech with a “You lie!” shout-out, Kanye West’s onstage outburst during the MTV Music Awards, Serena Williams’ profanity-laced tirade at the US Open tennis match, and every May we see keynote speakers at college graduations shouted down by those who hold opposing viewpoints.
University of Washington sociologist Pepper Schwartz calls this increase in rudeness “The New Boorishness,” and traces its roots to the Vietnam protests of the 1960s. Many sociologists agree that the correctness of a person’s side of the issue – such as Williams’ insistence that she had not double-faulted on a serve – does not excuse outrageous, demeaning eruptions.
In a way, comparing Mike Leach’s situation to these other examples is like comparing apples to oranges, but there is a commonality – our society is becoming more and more uncivil. What happened at Texas Tech was a private issue that became public when the media became involved.
You and I operate in the private realm and we see incidents of incivility almost every day. Need an example? Black Friday. If you stayed home, good for you.
But take heart. There are people who care, and there are people trying to restore civility to our society. In 1998, Johns Hopkins University professor P.M. Forni started The Civility Project, an attempt to bring people together on grounds of respect, courtesy and dignity. In 2002, he authored the book, “Choosing Civility: The Twenty-Five Rules of Considerate Conduct”.
Lanny Davis
Even within the so-called Civility Project, there seems to be some feather-ruffling going on. Staunch Republican Mark DeMoss, who runs a PR firm in Atlanta, has joined forces with former Clinton Administration advisor Lanny Davis in an effort they are dubbing the Civility Project. Their goal is the same as Forni’s, and we can all hope that it doesn’t matter with them who gets the credit, as long as the job gets done.
Go to civilityproject.org and take the pledge.
I double-dog dare you.
