Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Humans

Many suggest that extremist speech was to blame for the shootings in Arizona last Saturday that resulted in the deaths of six innocent people and the critical injury of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords.  That conclusion was too hasty and too broad. One advantage of hanging around on this planet for a long time, as I have, is that it sometimes improves my perspective. For example, last Saturday's tragedy immediately recalled to my memory the cries that went up when President John F, Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas in 1963. Many were quick to blame right wing extremists because Dallas was then, as it is now, a conservative bastion. It turned out that the shooter, Lee Harvey Oswald, was closer to being a Communist than being right wing. He had even defected to the Soviet Union for a time.

Nothing is gained by blaming people we don't like for actions for which they are not responsible. It only edges us toward verbal abuse ourselves, since it unfairly attacks with words even when the words themselves may not be egregious.

We do not know and will likely never know to what degree abusive speech played a part in the tragedy in Tucson. However, we can say with certainty that abusive speech is wrong. And it is destructive. It damages those who are its target, the persons who utter it, and society as a whole. Sadly, religious people are too often among the worst offenders. The Bible does not mince words but plainly declares, "If anyone considers himself religious, and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless" (James 1:26).

Jesus himself issued a strong warning. "You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment,' but I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment . . . . anyone who says  'You fool,' will be in danger of hell fire" (Matthew 5:21-23).  Notice that Jesus here talks about what one says, and he puts verbal abuse in a category with murder. You can choose to honor what Jesus says or pooh-pooh it. But don't say you weren't warned.  

Wrong Choice

Ironically, before the victims of Arizona's tragic shootings were even buried, disappointing news came with regard to an attempt to bring more civility to our public discourse. Two years ago, SPCH saluted Republican publicist Mark DeMoss and Democrat consultant Lanny Davis for jointly setting up The Civility Project.  They asked people to pledge three simple things

   · to be civil in public discourse

   · to respect those with whom they disagreed

   · to stand against incivility.

This week, in announcing an end to the project, DeMoss said, "I must admit to scratching my head as to why only three members of Congress (Independent Sen. Joseph Lieberman and Republican Reps. Sue Myrick and Frank Wolf) and no governors would agree to what I believe is a rather low bar." He further stated that with regard to members of the public who viciously attacked the project, conservatives were more abusive than liberals. When asked why he, a Republican, would say such a thing, he replied that he was embarrassed to do so but was simply being honest. "I'm worried about where we are headed as a country on the civility scale," he concluded.

No Civilization Without Civility

It's time to wake up and acknowledge that our civilization depends on civility. The similarity of those two words is not coincidental. Do you want to live in a jungle where tribes regularly operate in hostility against those who differ from them? That is what you help create when you engage in or tolerate incivility.

At this point I am hopeful. Almost everyone, whether from the political left, right, or center, has applauded President Obama's speech at the Tucson memorial. It was a speech calling us all to do better in our relationships. It included these wise and gracious words: "We recognize our own mortality, and are reminded that in the fleeting time we have on this earth, what matters is not wealth, or status, or power, or fame - but rather, how well we have loved, and what small part we have played in bettering the lives of others."

That positive message reminds me of another admonition about  the positive and negative power of words. In it Jesus gives us both fair warning and a promise, Again, he speaks words that we can pooh-pooh only at our own risk. "But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned" (Matthew 12:36-37).  Yes, our words not only can but will kill.or give life. To the one who speaks them!