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Posted on Sun, Jan 23, 2011 : 7:05 a.m.

A civility resolution

By Letters to the Editor

When engaging in public discourse, whether in person, online or through the media; I shall:

• Seek to become informed on the issues and formulate my opinions thoughtfully and independently.

• State my views and advocate my positions clearly, logically and passionately and in a manner that shows respect for different perspectives and those that hold them.

• Take ownership of the opinions that I express; avoid the expression of opinion with an alias or under a cloak of anonymity .

• Seek a broad range of differing thoughts and opinions on the issues.

• Listen carefully to the opinions of others when respectfully presented and allow myself to learn from and be influenced by their arguments.

• Avoid those who resort to inflammatory language, name calling, shouting or who substitute oversimplified and partisan talking points for thoughtful discussion of the issues.

Won’t you join me in making this resolution? John W. Duerr Ann Arbor

Comments

Jay Thomas

Tue, Jan 25, 2011 : 1:52 a.m.

We should all thank the President for bringing us to this point. Between telling Republicans they have to sit in the back (a crude comparison to segregation in the south) and characterizing those who disagree with amnesty for illegal aliens as being "enemies" of the Hispanic people, I have never heard an American President say such uncivil things.

Ricebrnr

Sun, Jan 23, 2011 : 8:15 p.m.

" a common tactic of extremists at both poles is to frame arguments in abusive terms and, if they are confronted in kind, to then revert to more "scholarly' forms of discourse,( although such 'scholarship' is typically derived from the echo-chambers of their own web-based propaganda motherships" I am SO saving that for future reference!

Ricebrnr

Tue, Jan 25, 2011 : 5:59 p.m.

Who started it? How mature! Especially considering the pot often casting the first verbal stones...

bedrog

Sun, Jan 23, 2011 : 9:37 p.m.

great! (Who started it is also relevant and a point i omitted.)

jcj

Sun, Jan 23, 2011 : 7:16 p.m.

This would take all the fun out of discourse!

demistify

Sun, Jan 23, 2011 : 7:16 p.m.

Yes, civil discourse among rational people with intellectual integrity is a very attractive goal. Indeed, most people are capable of it. Unfortunately, there are the few that are outside this mainstream and (as bedrog noted) try to grab the platform if given half a chance. It is possible to have a civilized conversation, but only if the crazies and the hate they spew are banished. Inasmuch as annarbor.com is unwilling to do that, not only in the Comments but also in the Opinion section and sometimes in the news pages, a more contentious tone is inevitable.

bedrog

Sun, Jan 23, 2011 : 4:44 p.m.

Sounds nice in principle but: -extremists/extreme rhetoriticians of both far right and far left have repeatedly shown themselves capable of libel and harassment both in the flesh and online. Hence the validity of the possibility of anonymity in confronting them. - a common tactic of extremists at both poles is to frame arguments in abusive terms and, if they are confronted in kind, to then revert to more "scholarly' forms of discourse,( although such 'scholarship' is typically derived from the echo-chambers of their own web-based propaganda motherships). - a valid alternative way to confront them ( as confronted they must be, lest they be allowed to dominate and frame the argument!!) is by satire ,( and they are always good fodder for such!), whether it's their inevitable and ridiculous self- importance, or the unfailing illogic , hypocrisy and bad data of their arguments. After all, this approach has worked well from the days of cicero ( in his anti-marc antony speeches) to 19th cent. cartoonist thomas nast ( against Tammany Hall corruption) to todays SNL, john stewart, sasha baron cohen and al franken, (against whackos on a variety of fronts, left and right). Plus it irritates the hell out of extremists and gets them to act out even more to their own detriment. Ann Arbor ( and a2.com) are fertile arenas for exactly this sort of thing.

bugjuice

Sun, Jan 23, 2011 : 2:14 p.m.

If " those who resort to inflammatory language, name calling, shouting or who substitute oversimplified and partisan talking points for thoughtful discussion of the issues" are left alone they own the debate. Lies, misinformation, diversion, perpetuation of myths and half truths must be debated openly, honestly rationally and with facts and reason. Not engaging those who prefer to lie and spread misinformation is a cop out and allows those who spread the lies, myths and misinformation to own the debate and discussion.

Kristin Judge

Sun, Jan 23, 2011 : 1:31 p.m.

Mr. Duerr, Can I print this and share it with my colleagues and other elected officials? This is brilliant! You should consider coming to public comment and sharing it with local elected officials.