It's usually Democrats that are uncivil. Did you read what Patrick Gaspard, the executive director of the Democratic National Committee said in a tweet right after the health-care ruling came down? “it’s constitutional, bi***es,”

http://washington.cbslocal.com/2012/06/28/dnc-executive-apologizes-for-expletive-laden-tweet-following-ruling/

Well said Michael ! We are all Americans and we all acted like Americans, that is what made this country great. The "in fighting" and greed (PAC's especially) have to stop or (as you said) we will end up destroying ourselves (including both major political parties).

Jerry, thank you for reinforcing my point.

Hear, hear! We should definitely hire Chris Chistie to hold etiquette classes for these boorish liberals. Definitely a candidate for Secretary of State in '16...

GOV. CHRIS CHRISTIE'S NOTABLE QUOTES:

• "We need numbnuts like Reed Gusciora who put out a statement comparing me to George Wallace and Lester Maddox.... at some point, you've got to be able to call BS on those kind of press releases." — referring to the Assemblyman during a news conference in January 2012 regarding same-sex marriage legislation.

• "Let me tell you something, after you graduate from law school, you conduct yourself like that in a court room, your rear end's gonna get thrown in jail, idiot." — to William Brown, Rutgers-Camden law student and former Navy SEAL after sharp questions about the proposed college merger.

• "I mean, can you guys please take the bat out on her for once?" — referring to state Sen. Loretta Weinberg (D-Bergen) at a news conference in April 2011.

• "She should really be embarrassed for what a jerk she is to say something like that,” — Christie said in response to Assemblywoman Valerie Vainieri Huttle (D-Bergen) remarks about him using a State Police helicopter to go to his son's baseball game.

• "Man up and say I'm fat." — referring to a campaign ad for Gov. Jon Corzine in October 2009 that emphasizes the governor's ample girth.

You're right. Discourse on premarital sex and homosexual marriage is what is tearing apart our country. If we could all just praise the lord a little more and follow on our predestined paths, life would be better. People should just accept their fates and fall in line. People just don't attend church like they used to. Clearly there is a correlation. Less church, more disagreement. No other lurking variables. Praise Vishnu.

Those who use profanity are true losers and have lost it. I call them "No thinkums." They cannot debate rationally, usually have no understanding of both sides of an issue, since they NEVER listen to the other side!

Nutcase

Carol Karsen, who are you talking to/about?

Hookerman, Michael Brancato, how intellectually dishonest! The truth hurts, eh?

Mr. Hookerman, I remember JFK’s religion being an issue where the media cited parallels with Alf Landon. Then, the KKK was influential in preventing a Landon presidency from ever happening, by 1960, the nation apparently moved beyond that way of thinking.
As posters have pointed out, there is no shortage of politicians behaving badly. My point was not to suggest we march back to some rose-colored future. The Governor is our head of state and as such, presents the face of NJ to the nation. I would prefer that he respect the office enough to exercise some restraint, tact, and diplomacy instead of perpetuating the “Jersey Shore” perceptual myth about our state.

Joe, Why are you afraid to criticize your side? I don't don't hear you or anyone else here condemning the remarks of Greg Greene or Patrick Gaspard of the DNC.

The Jersey shore is who we have become. Snooki is the image people have of our state. She received 32K for a lecture at Rutgers last year, Has Snooki become the institutionalized role model for the college educated children of NJ?

This country, The United States of America, was founded upon our forefather's belief in God using THE MORAL BENCHMARK OF THE BIBLE, and upon the belief that all men are created equal to pursue their lives using the SOCIAL BENCHMARK OF THE CONSTITUTION. With these, Americans have created a most wonderful, tolerant , desirable place where many seek to live. When these are no longer respected and chaanged, we will fall!.

Carole Karsen who are your posts directed towards?

In order to practice civility in public discourse a person must be of a high moral character and have a firm belief in God. All of the heathen practices mentioned above are hated by men of good moral character and should not the focus of everyday life.

Wait: Are you saying that all gays are immoral? Come on, now you're just discrediting anything you said. I believe that having high moral character and believing in god are totally mutually exclusive.

Judge not, that ye be not judged.
For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.
And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?
Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.

Notice that word hypocrite in their Jerry. Additionally, you pretty much avoided all the questions I asked you and just gave an arbitrary response. I am sure those are not your own words, probably someone elses, or they are based, whether loosely or not, on someone elses and you did not give credit to that person(s). Am I right on that one? So, since we are giving random, arbitrary answers, allow me to retort, you see there's this passage I got memorized. Ezekiel 25:17. "The path of the righteous man is beset on all sides by the iniquities of the selfish and the tyranny of evil men. Blessed is he who, in the name of charity and good will, shepherds the weak through the valley of darkness, for he is truly his brother's keeper and the finder of lost children."

Both from the bible.

What are you talking about??? I did not talk of civility. Where did you get that from??
You are confused.

Mutual respect does not include passing moral judgment on another poster via biblical verses.

Yes it does, learning tolerance through God's word for the moral standing of the Christian faith is the better part of civility. It's called rebuke.

"Why do you display such intolerance for someone you disagree with?" That was the question you asked below Jerry, and yet that's exactly what you did with Stacie. I'm sure the irony went flying over you head at the speed of sound.

Jerry you are a fraud and exactly the kind of religious person Christ admonished in Mathew 23. "Swallowing a camel and squatting out a gnat" You take a few verses that suit your need and spew them forth like anything you say means anything at all. It wasn't a Democrat that shouted "You Lie" at the duly elected President during the State of the Union and that idiot has been re-elected. There is no "Two Sides" to this lack of respect issue among elected officials because for every off the wall remark you site I can site 10 coming from your side and I am not talking about just wack a doos like you. There is no civility, there is a battle going on and Democrats can't be afraid to fight it.

It is most difficult to dance with us all. America is a tolerant nation, as long as our freedoms are not snuffed out. I want the freedom to work hard and CHOOSE what I eat, my health care providers, my job, my future security, as well as my family's. Federal control of these things makes states have no power. And the states must retain control. You can always move out of a stae.

Thank you Hattori. I take Jerry's insults to me and to so many others on so many threads about as seriously as I take his position on pretty much anything. I asked a very basic question regarding patriotism, was then insulted and quoted scripture. YAWN!

Why would such men seek a confrontation with the King? The answer to that question was drafted as they assembled in Philadelphia in late spring. They stated their reasons in the wonderfully graceful, but precise, language of the times:
They wrote of a "long train of abuses and usurpations..." and specifically listed British offenses such as "plundered our seas, ravaged our coasts, burnt our towns and destroyed the lives of our people." In short, the Declaration on Independence was the American Indictment of George III of England.
Then these men stated their intention as representatives of the United States Of America that "by the authority of the good people of these colonies, [we] solemnly publish and declare, that these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, FREE AND INDEPENDENT STATES; that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British crown and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved..."

There is no ambiguity. We are finished with England, we are free and we will direct our own future. Stirring words, strong and forthright sentences marching to the conclusion that war is coming with England, the strongest power on the Globe.
These men did not flinch from that conclusion and they knew and fully understood that to lose this fight was to risk being hung on the end of a Redcoat rope in the village green of the town where they were captured.
How many of our current leaders, who govern through polls and focus groups, are willing to risk anything, much less make a real pledge as the signers of the Declaration did of their "lives...fortunes and...sacred Honor."

The part of the Constitution that I am proud of is its existence in being the legal and moral backbone of the longest-running, most successful and in most instances, most equitable democracy on earth. I am also proud of its significance in history for being the beginning of true modern democracy which is still seeking perfection in perpetuity. I am proud of the voice and the protections that the Constitution provides to everyday citizens outside the power structure.

Sure, the document, its application and its interpretation have its flaws, both historical and present, and is worthy of self-criticism. But as an overall concept, day-to-day practice and evolution over more than 200 years, what has proven more durable or empowering for more people?

The Constitution does not make us a perfect society, but until recently, the most perfect society perhaps that exists in the modern world. I've been to other first-world countries - plenty of them - even lived in a few. In most ways, they all suck compared to living here. Some things are better in some places...nowhere is everything better than here. Don't burn that U.S. passport just yet Joe v., when the sh#! hits the fan, this is the only place to be.

Entitlements for the rich and the corporations, which is the bulk of the money spent by our government.

While not a Christie fan, --- Corzine, McGreevey, Menendez and Lautenberg are all far worse.

Selene
Your a graduate from the College of Ignorance.
Your great Greek philosopher: Aristotle said "slavery is a natural thing and humans come in two types- slaves and non-slaves. Natural born slaves should remain slaves under any circumstances. This is because their souls weren't complete. They lacked certain qualities, such as the ability to think properly, so they need masters to tell them what to do.

Aristotle couldn't provide a sensible or practical method of recognising "natural" slaves so he categorized them as "legal" slaves stating that some people would be made slaves that should not be, but this would be inevitable.

Greek pliosopher Plato also thought it was better to rule over the inferior and insisted that justice consists of the "superior" ruling over the "inferior".

hmmmm, is that why Greeks had slaves?

P.S.

Slavery was common in Greece, and also in early Christian societies. In Athens, almost every citizen owned at least one. Keeping in mind that woman and children were 'chattel's' or a possesion of the men.
The chattel slave was an individual that on occassion would be forced to submit to their 'owner' to be temporarily leased to another owner in lieu of payment or until another agreement could be reached.
Simon the shoemaker was most likely a very busy and popular man.

Which brings us to colleen's "Civility".
Since children are subjected to the power of the parent, as slaves to the power of their masters, until the mid 1900's it was considered lawful for a parent to strike a child, stating that instruction may be enforced by correction. This remain's true today, and although the courts have interjected by ruling it is not law abiding to strike a child, the method of of correction is sill punishment by means of showing the forces of the superior over the inferior.

Civility could be understood two ways: The first is to be slow to threaten, this includes to a moderation of correction; and secondly, that the superior should not always carry out their threats, that is that they should sometimes decide upon a merciful forgiveness temper the judgement whereby they threatend punishment.
Inhumane and degrading aren't attributes learned in the Boy and Girl Scouts. They are still active in schools, homes, and politics. This is because many people still defend it, like they did slavery for many centuries before the current one we are living in.
Even today, people who are against slavery will state that they will strike their own children as a form of correction. They will contest that how they raise they're own child is they're "own business".
Concluding that slavery can still be legal and unethical at the same time.

Very well said, wt-taxpayer, please speak with Jerry Gordon to prevent further instaces of this happening.

wt-taxpayer -When Joe grew up in the 50's God was part of the everyday life in America.The churches were full, and we didn't work on Sundays, it was a day of rest. We respected our parents and authority.The blessings of God was upon our nation because Americans worshiped and respected God. The God of the Bible!

If you think that the Bible is "right wing Christian blather" then you need to rethink yoru position.The only ones blathering here are the liberals, every time anyone mentions anything about God or that fact that America was founded upon Judeo-Christian values, liberals become unhinged. Where is the liberals love and tolerance for Christians in our society today? Why weren't you aiming your "God is love" rant at Joe, Stacie and yourself? Why didn't you address the nasty remarks put out by DNC leaders? After all, it was Joe, a Democrat, who opined for the days of civility. Wasn't that the point of his essay?

Yes, you are right when you say "God says we should love one another." But Love has to tell the truth, and sometimes that could hurt or be offensive to a person that no longer has a respect for God.

Jerry, when Joe was growing up in the 50's and Ward Cleaver was sitting in his arm chair reading his paper we also had segregation and Blacks couldn't use any White's Only restrooms or water fountains. It was against the law to have interracial marraige in many states. Blacks sat in the back of the bus and couldn't buy homes next to the Cleavers. Their Children couldn't go to White Schools and we had poll taxes. Conservatives went to Church in Greater numbers but didn't hear a word that was preached. Let's not rewrite our past no matter how fondly and fictionally we remember it. Conservatives have a Christian belief that has nothing to do with the word of Christ and you prove it.

"America was founded upon Judeo-Christian values"

Care to provide some historical basis for this revisionism???

Joe - it was you who opined for the days of civility. Yet, when I pointed out the uncivilized profane recent comments from the Democrat party, you refused to condemn the remarks, and now their not on your side? What side are you on? Does anything you write or say have any credibility?

For the record, unlike you, I'm not afraid to criticize my side, Christie's outbursts lately proves that he's not ready for higher office. His conduct in Seaside Heights the other night was unacceptable for a sitting governor. Just keep in mind Joe, the rest of the sex obsessed liberals on this thread who totally missed the issues you raised are on YOUR SIDE!

I appreciate your fond memories, Joe. It is people like Jerry who corrupt them and instigate fights with people. It is a disgrace especially when he's pounding on his Bible in doing so in a total contradiction of what he preaches. That folks is not an insult. It is a fact and I am sure that many more than I have been victim to a thread going sour because of him, his insults and religious beliefs. Be a so called Christian....that's great! Let everyone else be themselves already! We don't all have to agree on anything but some here make it impossible to have a discussion.

Hey Joseph,
If, like me, you find that there are clowns to the left of you and jokers on your right, you can stick around in the middle with me. Plenty of room for rational people on this 'side.' :-)
-K

Stacie - you insult people you disagree with all of the time on this forum and then you write " that folk's is not an insult." How insulting that you condescend and treat everyone like little children. Who are you kidding? You have no tolerance for Christian and conservative values. Are you a bigot?

BTW, never once did you address or acknowledge the subject of civility as raised by Joe. Are you capable of sticking to topic? Doesn't that make you a troll? Why are you always looking for an argument with me? If don't you like what I have to say, why do constantly respond to my posts?

Which one ?
The one that teaches to reprove, correct and train in righteousness while having constraints on sexual conduct and the death penalty for Homosexuals, or the one that reaps the abundant fruit from the work of Aristotle ? This is the one that teaches to sell an object for it's true worth, and follow the devine law of perfect happiness in the possession of God' Devine Law which leaves nothing unpunished that is contrary to vitue. Ethical questions are carefully investigated, and each indivual, at least in principal, will practice their faith conceding to the absolute religious authority. In this one, children that hate their parents must be killed (Luke 14;26 )
Love thy neighbor but if they have not had the opportunity to hear about Christ they are damned {to hell} buy no fault of their own.

Raise the flag and remember that we can be ordered to punish mercilessly, people that are blameless for rape, torture, slavery, ethnic cleansing, genocide, adultery, and any other atrosity, because we know such actions are wrong and we are one nation under God.