Civility

I’m a political junkie. Because of that, I have watched portions of some of the Republican presidential debates. If there were also Democratic debates, I’m certain that my observations would be similar. Some of you would rather watch paint dry than listen to these debates. One thing that has struck me is the lack of civility. I’m not just thinking of the lack of civility of candidates toward each other. That’s a given. I’m not one of those who thinks that politicians are less civil with each other than they used to be. History shows us that this is the way it has always been. I’m talking about the lack of civility of some of those in the audiences where the candidates have been debating.

At one of the debates, Stephen Hill, a soldier serving in Iraq, asked a question that our country has been wrestling with for some time, and will continue to. As you may know, until September 20, the military’s policy was “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” Under the law, commanders were not allowed to ask about someone's sexual orientation, and gays and lesbians were expected to keep their orientation under wraps. Gays and lesbians who were open about their sexual orientation—or who were outed—faced punishment and expulsion. On September 20, Congress repealed “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” Now, gay and lesbian soldiers can be open about their sexuality and continue to serve our country.

Stephen Hill prefaced his question by saying that he was a gay soldier serving in Iraq and that prior to September 20, he had to lie about who he was in order to serve in the army. He asked the candidates, if they were elected president what would they do to ensure that the old policy of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” would not be reinstated. But before he could get to his question, there were some who booed him. Why? It seems clear that they did so, because he is gay and can now be open about this, without fear of being kicked out of the military. Not one candidate confronted those who booed, and not one candidate thanked Stephen Hill for his service to our country.

There are differences of opinion in our country about Congress repealing “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” That’s a vast understatement. Not surprisingly, there are differences of opinion about this in the congregation I serve, and there is nothing wrong with having these differences of opinion. Regardless of how we feel about the decision Congress made, surely, we can not support the booing.

I wonder how many in the audience who booed were serving or have served in the military? Here is a man who may be in harms way, all for his country, and he is booed? It seems to me that he is courageous, and they are cowards.

But I also have to wonder what would happen if one of the people who booed were to have lunch with Stephen Hill. Undoubtedly, they would begin to feel how much he loves our country. They would find that he loves our country as much as they do. They might find out that he has parents and siblings who love him and whom he loves. They might find out that he is a really likeable guy, and that they have much more in common than they would have thought. And Stephen Hill might begin to feel the same way about them.

There was moment in another debate that comes to mind. Moderator Brian Williams was directing a question to Rick Perry, governor of Texas. He began by saying, “Gov. Perry, Texas leads the nation in the number of executions...” Before Brian Williams could get to his question, several people in the audience cheered.

Regardless of how we feel about capital punishment, and there are difference of opinion about this in the congregation I serve, surely, we can not feel that it’s appropriate to cheer in this situation. Captital punishment and everything surrounding it, such as a brutal crime that someone has committed, ought to make us pause and be somber, not cheer.

Martin Luther King, Jr. said, "I mourn the loss of thousands of precious lives, but I will not rejoice in the death of one, not even an enemy. Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that."