Recently in political ethics Category

Today in NYC there's a primary runoff election to decide who'll be the next democratic candidates for city comptroller and public advocate. And, in a city of 8 million, something like a whopping 170,000 are expected to vote. As the New York Times' Clyde Haberman drily puts it, this is about the size of the audience of a Yankees game.

So here's my question: Is it more, less, or similarly inexcusable not to vote in these types of little, local elections?

Full disclosure: I never have.

Why? Simple...

Paddy and I thought we'd toss in our two cents on the whole civility debate. After all, we'd hardly be an "Everyday Ethics" blog if we didn't have an opinion on everyday cultural behavior trends. So here goes.

Hillary: The country's buzzing with the news. The blogosphere is awash with disapproval. We're all aghast: People are being rude! In public! In outlets and in settings where they'd only ever been moderately inappropriate before! Our culture is farkakte, we're all going down the tubes.

Yeah, I think that's about right.

Now, I feel that others in other forums have said it better. They've certainly made more passionate arguments than I'm capable of penning on the subject of our declining moral values. Here on this humble lay-person's blog, I'll just add this: I think in these last couple generations, we've been indulged a lot by parents who've told us our every last brain-dropping was worth hearing. And that we have a right to be heard first, because we're special, precious, and wonderful. So, nobody else deserves especial respect, because, well, we have a thought, and we want to share! How dare anyone else cross us, get in our way, or even make the mistake of doing their jobs, speaking their mind, or accepting an award? Even if they're the President, a line-judge whose job it is to make calls, or a totally baffled performer on a stage you just happen to want to upstage, these days many of us seem to think respect is obsolete. Sure, there's that old saw about "respect has to be eaaaarned," but how can it be earned if you won't shut up long enough to listen to what the person has to say?