As much as I try and stay away, I'm wired in such a way that I find politics interesting. It's ultimately folly and a 'chasing after the wind', but be that as it may - its interesting. So, I watched President Trump's speech yesterday (3/4) to the joint session of Congress and I couldn't help but think about the word 'decorum'.
From Merriam-Webster
Decorum: "propriety and good taste in conduct or appearance" - "the conventions of polite behavior" Synonyms: decency, dignity, gentility
I've watched many such speeches over the years, delivered from both sides of the political aisle, and in many ways they are predictable spectacles. Republicans stand and clap for Republicans, Democrats stand and clap for Democrats, the opposite side sits, I get all that, and to a degree, I understand that. What I saw last night, however, was a lack of decorum -- and it's a direction our political elite have been sliding in for awhile.
During Trump's procession into the address, there was a Democrat congresswoman standing there holding a paper sign that read, "this is not normal". Not a few seconds later, the sign was snapped from her hands and thrown into the crowd. Throughout the speech, the democrats were holding up auction-style signs that read, "false" or "Elon Steals" or "Save Medicaid". At one point, Al Green, the congressman from Texas was kicked out of the hall for standing there and yelling, interrupting Trump's speech. At one point in the speech, Trump acknowledged a young man who had beaten cancer and who had aspirations of becoming a police officer, who Trump then surprised by making an honorary secret service member and the democrats continued to sit there. Who is so consumed with hatred that they can't set aside their political feelings in that moment to acknowledge a child that has beaten cancer?
On the Republican side, you had characters like the classless Marjorie Taylor Greene showing up in a MAGA hat. There were also repeated sophomoric chants of 'USA' throughout. Trump, despite being mostly restrained in his remarks, also let loose a few barbs that seemingly had no other spirit than that of the mean kind.
Our country has lost an incredible degree of decorum over the past few decades. I was reminded of this when I recently watched the Presidential debate between Ronald Reagan and Walter Mondale. Here's the exchange:
"Mr. Trewhitt (moderator): "Mr. President, I want to raise an issue that I think has been lurking out there for 2 or 3 weeks and cast it specifically in national security terms. You already are the oldest President in history. And some of your staff say you were tired after your most recent encounter with Mr. Mondale. I recall yet that President Kennedy had to go for days on end with very little sleep during the Cuban missile crisis. Is there any doubt in your mind that you would be able to function in such circumstances?"
President Reagan: "Not at all, Mr. Trewhitt, and I want you to know that also I will not make age an issue of this campaign. I am not going to exploit, for political purposes, my opponent's youth and inexperience. [Laughter and applause]"
If you go back and watch Presidential debates even as recently as the late-90s, there is a different way in which the candidates carry themselves. There are still the occasional personal jabs, but its done in less of a mean-spirited way, much like Reagan's deflection of the age question from the excerpt above.
I realize I'm shouting into the void here - I don't suspect we will actually move back toward a higher level of decorum...if anything, our politicians only seem to be able to go only one way and I expect the childishness and impetuosity (five dollar word right there) will only get worse. But nevertheless, I wish that we could go back to an era of gentility - where we could disagree and perhaps even strongly disagree, but also be able to keep a level of civility. I'm not usually a fan of masks, but I do see value in carrying ourselves in a manner that is respectful, even if do not like someone else or agree with what they stand for. To me, that represents an acknowledgement at some level, that the other is human AND equal. When we remove this particular mask, then we become more prone to feelings of superiority.
Just my two cents.
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