Civility in writing? Or writing with rage?

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I have to admit it.

I am furious at our government and our leaders. I believe we ALL have reason to be.

And, frequently, I write that way.

But it is a fury born out of frustration. It's a fury resulting from a political and community leadership that turns a deaf ear to the people they would lead.

We are cursed with a newspaper that has abandoned any pretense of civility... much like they've abandoned any pretense of journalistic integrity, impartiality or fairness.

Locally, we have politicos that engage in such horrific, rank hypocrisy and arrogance that following them is a sickening task.

Unfortunately, it's part of my job. So I watch very closely what's going on and who's making it happen.

And when I see rank hypocrisy, lies and manipulation; like, for example, Tim Leavitt or Jon Russell's campaigns, my blood pressure seems to hit 4 digits.

When I see yet another episode of our local embarrassment of a newspaper where they lie, misquote, misinterpret, confuse opinion with news and act like they're paid agents for politicians like Brian Baird; or use a double-standard for endorsements, or making every possible effort to hurt the families in this region by ramming an unneeded, unwanted and monumentally wasteful project THEY want, but THEY won't have to pay for down our collective throats... well, my quad pace maker has to kick in.

I write with such anger because there is so much to be angry about.

I hammer and hammer and hammer, because these things truly do matter to most of us paying attention.

Thus, when I see the complete embarrassment we have as a president screwing up our economy, embarrassing us overseas, failing to flex any of America's massive muscle to stop injustice like the release of that murdering scumbag to Libya, or continue on in his efforts to socialize this country.... I have to peel myself off the ceiling.

Where is there room for civility in the midst of that tyranny?

When those in power don't listen, we get the kind of arrogance that causes an idiotic excuse for a congressman to refer to me as a “Nazi,” and a “Brown Shirt,” and then slink away like the coward he is to avoid facing me... and us... a colossal political mistake that will cost him his job like it's cost him our respect.

And then, we get our local excuse for a paper who immediately sets about to rehabilitate this scumbag so he can get re-elected.

So yes... that kind of thing angers me. And it angers me because it doesn't have to be this way... but the arrogance of those involved is the primary cause for the situation we have.

And if those running our government or our media; and correspondingly (at least to some extent) running our lives, are going to insist on their arrogance... where is the place for civility in all that?

When our local politicians and our local paper, who scammed a huge B&O tax cut from all those democrats they support, are doing everything they can to tax commuters an additional $1300 per year... each.... STEALING HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF OUR DOLLARS... for a project that THEY won't have to pay for... while THEY make us pay.... I punch figurative holes in figurative walls.

Why be civil?

The editorial page editor of our local rag is as far left as Karl Marx. He name-calls, insults, hammers and beats on those to his political right... meaning almost everyone alive.

HE doesn't engage in anything close to civility, instead, abusing his position while those he answers to just look on and smile.

And we should be civil in return?

Writing with rage as a result of this abuse has a cathartic effect. Doing something is almost always better than doing nothing, and if I can alert just one person to the perfidy of our leaders... if I can get just ONE of these clowns to understand that, no, when you're bought by a tribal developer like Commissioner Steve Stuart was bought for $100,000 by David Barnett... why, no... that AIN'T gonna go away.

EVER.

Just writing this makes me feel a little better. If it makes those who hold the public they allegedly serve in such contempt feel just the tiniest bit uncomfortable in return... then it has accomplished its goal in a way that polite “teas” in the face of their rampant irresponsibility, non-responsiveness and abuse of the public could never do.
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