The incivility death spiral
Rooting for your opponents to die is the last frontier of free speech
The incivility death spiral
Dick Polman, Inquirer National Political Columnist
Taking one last break from the tyranny of the 24/7 news cycle, here is my updated and expanded Sunday print column:
I remember when I first realized that the decline of civility had become a death spiral. The date was Jan. 20, 2009. Ted Kennedy, who was battling a brain tumor, collapsed at an Inaugural luncheon – thus prompting many anonymous participants in our oft-demented national conversation to rub their hands in glee and root for his death.
On the ABC News website, one exclaimed, "Hot diggity damn! Maybe we’re finally rid of him!” Another exulted, "And I thought nothing good would come of this day!”
But this was mere foreplay compared to the purrs of satisfaction that were posted online when Kennedy died seven months later. Many commenters were frankly giddy at the prospect that the late senator would dwell forever in a certain fiery climate.
On the Boston Globe site, a commenter wrote, "Burn, baby, burn!" On a blog sponsored by a prominent law professor, somebody wrote, "Good riddance to bad rubbish. The Kennedy’s (sic) have always been socialists. I for one am glad to see another one of them pass into Lucifer’s loving embrace." Somebody else chimed in, "The dude was pure evil and I’m all for dancing on his grave." (Actually, the dancing was the least of it. He also anticipated performing a specific bodily function.)
I’m all for free and unfettered expression, but we have clearly crossed a line somehow, somewhere. Anger is a natural emotion; it can even be a healthy emotion if channeled properly. But millions now seem to assume that an Internet connection is a license to indulge their most sociopathic impulses. In our increasingly coarsened political culture, even death is being politicized; apparently, it’s now considered cool to rejoice in the demise of those with whom we disagree.
Some online correspondents are refreshingly sane, of course. After Kennedy died, there were sporadic attempts to admonish the death lobby. One civil soul wrote on the Globe site, "Comments like theirs make me feel ashamed for America – that our way of life is producing values like theirs." Another lamented, "Politeness is a virtue that has all but vanished from our public discourse," and contended, "the extremist right wing, abetted by Fox News, is the principle reason for that. It’s always the haters on the right-wing who are completely devoid of class and decorum."
Well, actually, that’s totally wrong. People on the left do the death dance all the time. Last night, for instance.
Dick Cheney was hospitalized with chest pains yesterday. The Washington Post put the story on its website at 7:31 p.m. Sixteen minutes later, a commenter wrote, "I hope he drops dead." Seven minutes after that, somebody wrote, "I just hope they don't desecrate Arlington (National Cemetery) with this piece of carrion." Four minutes after that, somebody wrote, "The devil is calling his boy home." Seven minutes after that, somebody wrote, "I was so excited to hear that the guy was on his way to the hospital. I was so disappointed to hear that he made it there alive." Four minutes after that, somebody wrote, "Best news to hear in quite some time. Let's hope he suffers before he rots." (Back in 2007, when Cheney survived an assassination attempt in Afghanistan, commenters on the liberal Huffington Post site wrote things like this: "Can't the Taliban do anything right?")
Similarly, when Rush Limbaugh was hospitalized with chest pains last Dec. 30, the left-leaning comment boards were jammed with celebrants:
"Garbage in, garbage out. Let him die."
"If he croaks, this is offically the greatest year in American history."
"Come on, 2009! Don’t fail me now!"
And not all trash-talkers are anonymous. Last spring, at the White House Correspondents Dinner, comic Wanda Sykes said of Limbaugh, "I hope his kidneys fail." OK, she was joking, but the joke was symptomatic of our cultural illness. Incivility is rewarded; it’s one big reason why somebody like Ann Coulter is a bestselling author. And the parameters of outrage inexorably expand. It’s not enough anymore to be shrill, to call somebody an idiot or a moron or words not fit for a family newspaper. After those frontiers are crossed, what’s left? Just the final frontier: a publicly-stated declaration that the idiot or moron should cease to breathe.
For some anonymous liberals back in 2007, it wasn’t enough to assail Bush White House press secretary Tony Snow for his conservative views. When the news broke in March that his soon-to-be-fatal cancer had returned, commenters at several prominent liberal sites quickly posted their get-well-soon cards. For instance: "He is pure lying scum and should die ASAP!!" For instance: "The cancer in Tony Snow is removing the cancer in Tony Snow…could there be a god?"
Snow had a long track record as a broadcast commentator, which at least partly explained the antipathy. But when a veteran newswoman named Deborah Howell was fatally struck by a car while vacationing in New Zealand on New Year’s Day 2010, a number of conservatives exulted online – even though they had never heard of her prior to the accident.
When they learned that she had served a stint as The Washington Post’s ombudsman, and that she was married to a university president (who had witnessed the fatal accident), that was enough to label her as a liberal – and, therefore, not worthy of respect in death. As one giddy patriot declared on the Politics Daily website, "One less of those anti-U.S. types to deal with."
Nobody in public life is arguably more of a pro-U.S. type than a Marine Corps vet, but not even that designation could protect John Murtha during his final days. When the legendary Pennsylvania congressman was hospitalized for the last time earlier this month, the well-wishers at the Politico website lined up to pay homage in their inimitably perverse fashion:
"Typical Democrat. Please die soon, Murtha."
"He and Benedict Arnold should share a very hot corner in a very bad place."
"Hear-hear! Is he dead yet?"
Abraham Lincoln, who dealt with hate on a daily basis, urged his fellow citizens to heed this bit of advice: "In times like the present, men should utter nothing for which they would not willingly be responsible through time and eternity." His admonition seems just as sensible today, but, as a culture, we seem to be more in sync with someone like 50 Cent, the rapper who wrote a song entitled "Death to My Enemies."
Part of the problem, of course, is that our brave new digital world allows people to root for death from the safe confines of anonymity. I bet they would spare us their most toxic thoughts if they were required to put their names to the words, and take some measure of responsibility.
But, yeah, I know: Anonymity supposedly encourages a more robust online discourse. And I grudgingly agree with Doug Feaver, the former executive editor of washingtonpost.com, who argued last year that "it is useful to be reminded bluntly that the dark forces are out there, and it is too easy to forget that truth by imposing rules that obscure it. As Oscar Wilde wrote in a different context, 'Man is least in himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth.'"
In other words, incivility extremism can’t be stopped. All we can do is call it out, in the name of civility. I've just done that. You should do the same.
I can certainly understand the anger towards Kennedy. Even though I often agreed with Kennedy's positions, let's be blunt...the man was a slime ball and he didn't deserve the honor and attention his funeral received. I am not a conservative, but the Kennedys have been a dirt ball family and truthfully accomplished very little as politicians. The sad thing is that as a politician TK was probably the best of the bunch. I certainly will not cry when Dubya's time comes and I'm unlikely to shed a tear for Cheney. I consider Cheney my enemy and a danger to the nation...the other side feels the same way about many candidates I support. You can call it a lack of civility, but what Sarah Palin represents is anathema to what I view as what this country is about.— Contract Aaron- Still Independent- Is the hybrid your only car? Furthermore it takes GASOLINE. Right? There is no way around that. No pie in the sky nonsense from liberals seems to change the fact that our cars run on gasoline. Build a car that runs on something else that is as cheap as gasoline, performs well, can fit a familiy of 5 and we will all be lining up to drive them. But until then stop pretending like we are in any position to do otherwise. Despotic regimes sell oil on the open market. No amount of world apology tour is going to change that. What we could do is drill for our own oil- in fact the mere threat of doing so would send the oil market lower. But liberals don't like cheap gas. They want to sit around and bi**tch about or consumption of fossil fuels all while in the same breath they bi**tch about rising healthcare cost. Well, if gas was a dollar a gallon we would have have more money to be able to afford healthcare now wouldn't we?
- Nothing wrong with disagreeing with someone's political views. I love arguing. But, I don't get the seething anger that would lead someone to hope for ones death. Even Polman traffics in some serious political distortations to reinforce his views. I wouldn't say I am amused by all of this as I am disgusted. In my family we have the whole allotment of political perspectives. The debate is fun but when it's done you'll learn you have much more in common than you think, just not politics. That is when it's time to tap the Keg and turn the football game on. Most of life, and the best part of it, happens independent of what the government does or does not do.
Comment removed.- Smike,I doubt that the mere threat of drilling for our own oil would drive down the price of oil. There's really nothing to substantiate the price we see now. Crude went down - gas went up (while we were and still are swimming in it) Crude has risen lately and gas dropped. (excluding the lead time on delivery) The market is driven by a lot of forces, many in our own economic system, that have little to do with supply/demand. Now, we absolutely should have an energy policy that includes drilling on land we control but it's only going to get us away from foreign control to a point. Oil producers will be under no mandate to keep it here - it will be going to China or India.— JimR
- Returning to the topic: the lack of civility has become a disgrace. The 'cry for die' from the loons on both sides shouldn't even see the light of day but we've become a bunch of shouters. Just read the comment boards on some of the stories on Philly.com. It's pathetic. This will really touch a nerve with Nigel today.— JimR
- Jim R- Oil dropped to $ 30.28 a barrell on December 23rd 2008. Today it is at $ 80.25. In january of 2008 you could find gas prices here in south jersey at $ 1.31 vs $ 2.50 per gallon today. The drumbeat for drill here, drill now, started 2008 and gas prices began to fall as the price of oil fell. The economy tanking had a big impact as well. If liberals really want to help poor people afford healthcare one giant step would be to find ways to lower the cost of gasoline. Instead we sit here and pretend our cars run on something else. They do not. They run on Gasoline. If liberals are really serious about this economy then they need to get serious about lowering our cost of energy. Smug liberals often champion rising gas prices as a means to " save " the planet- All it does it put the cost crunch to poor people.
- JimR- don't confuse an argument over an issue with " dancing " on ones grave. There is a difference. The is more passion in politics and that is good as it gets more particiapation. More people turn out to vote. The point is that it all goes to far when one hopes for ones death over a political disagreement.
- JimR, you're right. I just got here, but otherwise would have probably been the first to comment. And SMike, this is one of the few times I agree with you wholeheartedly. The best of life does occur independently of government. And I've been saying for some time -- until I'm pretty blue in the face, in fact -- that we need to look at our many commonalities as a basis for moving forward and finding compromise. What has happened to us and why? Why can't we consider another's feelings and thoughts before we attack? It's very disheartening.— NigeltheMastiff
- If Oscar Wilde is to be believed, the mask of the Internet has revealed a sick nation. Of such inner sicknesses do civilizations and great nations crumble from within.— HeywoodEm
- I agree with Mr. Polman that we have lost our civility in politics. When we disagree on issues, it is not personal, as some people/media/lawmakers/presidents take it. When I disagree with the President on an issue I try to be very polite and courteous. Now some bloggers (on both sides) will hide behind their anonymous screen names and act like knuckleheads. Also, it seems like the liberal side takes it much more personally than the cons'pub side, imho. But everyone here is a great American for caring how their country is run & how to do it best. We just disagree on the best way to achieve that goal. It is not personal, just politics:) Soon our parties will be like the Israelis and Palestinians, attacking, holding grudges, getting revenge and never achieving anything for the poeple. Sad really.— NEPhilly
- Polman - I'm reminded of the great poem of our national pastime, Casey at the Bat. After being called on strike one: "Kill him! Kill the umpire!" shouted someone on the stand; And its likely they'd a-killed him had not Casey raised his hand. And again after strike two: "Fraud!" cried the maddened thousands, an echo answered "fraud"; But one scornful look from Casey and the audience was awed. We need a Casey to silence the fools shouting "Kill him!"— chris duckworth
- Polman-I find this article very disturbing and as a young adult in this world I am believed to not know much about politics, but no matter what anyone has done in there life it gives you know right to wish death upon them.I find these people upsetting what about the families and friends who love this individual it will also hurt them when they see these horrible comments. What if it was someone in this individuals life would you want it wished upon them.— tlap
- swedesboromike: I will agree wholeheartedly with your 11:01 post.— still_independent
- swedesboromike: now that that's done with, yes, my hybrid uses gas. What does that have to do with anything? You made the statement that we bought most of our oil from Mexico and a few South American countries. I pointed that that it doesn't matter whose oil we buy. Oil is a fungible commodity. Whether we buy it from Mexico, or Saudi Arabia, or produce it ourselves, our demand is our demand, and it drives the global price up accordingly. At no point did I bring up anything about conservation, carbon, or anything else - I was merely pointing out that your statement about who we buy oil from is non-sensical.... And before you object to the part about producing it ourselves, that is a true statement. Now there may be strategic reasons you want us produce it ourselves, and it obviously generates some extra tax revenues when we produce it ourselves, but producing it ourselves won't lower the price one iota, except in that we'll be increasing the overall supply by some fraction of a percentage.— still_independent
Cited by the Columbia Journalism Review as one of the nation's top political reporters, and lauded by the ABC News political website as "one of the finest political journalists of his generation," Dick Polman is a national political columnist at the Philadelphia Inquirer. He is on the full-time faculty at the University of Pennsylvania, as "writer in residence." Dick has been a frequent guest on C-Span, MSNBC, CNN, NPR and the BBC. He covered the 1992, 1996, 2000, and 2004 presidential campaigns.
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