A Signal For the End of "Civility"?

It was just seven months ago, at the memorial service for those killed in the Arizona shooting where Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords was shot, that President Obama called for the nation to commit to more civility in interacting among with each other. One of the greatest moments for the entire nation that evening was when he gave us the good news that “Gabby opened her eyes for the first time” that evening while he was visiting her.

It was a moment of hope during a national tragedy marked by accusations from the liberals that the Tea Party had caused this attack.  Not long after his “emotionally charged” speech honoring the victims in the senseless shooting in Arizona, it was determined that the shooter had absolutely no ties to the Tea Party movement at all. In fact, he was not a politically involved person at all, but seemed instead to have a personal vendetta against Congresswoman Giffords that stemmed from an earlier meeting between them.

Seven months later, and thankfully, Congresswoman Giffords is making remarkable progress. She’s even made the historic return to Congress to cast her vote for the debt ceiling increase. Whether you agree with her vote or not, the mere fact that she was there and able to vote was truly cause for celebration.

With the celebrating over, a question must be asked.  Does Congresswoman Giffords’ return to Congress signal the end of the president’s call to the nation for civility?

In looking at recent events it most certainly appears that the gloves have come off. Once again, the Tea Party is being accused of things that are completely false. Pulling their favorite tempter-tantrum tactic, liberals have pulled the ever-popular race card to go along with these accusations.

Here are a few examples:

• Maxine Waters says the Tea Party can “go straight to hell”  Now, down here in these parts, them are fightin’ words if I ever heard ’em!
• Florida Rep. Frederica Wilson blames black unemployment on racism
• Indiana Democratic Senator Andre Carson accuses the Tea Party of being a lynch mob who wants to hang blacks from trees
• California Rep. Karen Bass blames the media for the terrorist comments made by Senator Carson

The next baseless accusation can be seen here where Nancy Pelosi babbles on and on incoherently about the rich not paying taxes because they want to be immortal, how Republicans hate kids and keep wages low so they can force people to pay bank fees.

In all actuality, this last example may not be a good one to use in the argument questioning whether or not the call for civility has ended. In this case, it should be senility that is called into question rather than civility. But that’s an entirely different argument altogether!

Not surprisingly, President Obama has been strangely quiet during this barrage of accusations from those in his own party. This is just another example of his empty words ringing so loud with hypocrisy. Maybe he should take lessons from a real leader : Florida  Rep. Allen West, who calls it what it is!