Letter to the Editor: How can we return to civility?

To the Editor:

How can we return to civility? Recent letters in the Shoreline News from two different viewpoints on the Charlottesville violence are clear examples of our lacking civility and our current discourse. These letters did nothing to help us understand each other better.

How can we return to civility when our current leaders lack so profoundly in their abilities to inspire community and working together? Peaceful leaders from history were leaders that spoke of love and understanding and were pacifists. There is nothing peaceful about KKK and White Supremacy groups who look to oppress, exclude or worse, eliminate (as the Nazi’s did in their genocide of the mid 20th Century). These are not loving, kind groups who are looking to strengthen community, but people who defend white, male dominance in our society and want to strengthen it. Black Lives Matter groups are begging society to acknowledge and understand that it appears that black lives don’t matter, racism is real, and women stand up against gender inequality in society. These groups are not trying to suppress or eliminate others. That is a very big difference, a very different starting point, a very different anger.

We need to empathize with those who are truly oppressed and under threat in our society, people of color, Muslims, LGBTQ and women are at the top of my list. Empathy, listening, understanding… these are the roads to return to civility. A common ground I would hope that most of us could agree on is that hate group efforts to oppress and bully society into their way of thinking is NOT acceptable and is indefensible. Do they have the right to free speech? Sure… but we should not defend what they are saying or claim its reasonableness or likeness to any other group fighting for basic civil rights.

Carrie Campbell

Shoreline