I will not call names. I will not be a bully. I will not judge or criticize. I will not win any political campaigns.
Of course, there are no such mantras, and I cringe every time I turn on the tv because I know it won’t be long before one candidate is trashing another or someone has been molested or shot or criticized because of who they want to marry or how they want to live their lives. While I do not want to stoop to the level of calling names or judging, I do want to remind a certain Republican of the Golden Rule. Oh wait, I can’t do that, either…. separation of church and state and all. How about just plain old manners? Is that an acceptable way to approach this? Yes, I think that is the way to go.
Rep. Jackie Speier (D-CA) was very concise and direct in calling out Rush Limbaugh over his offensive comments to third year Georgetown Law student, Sandra Fluke, without stooping to the level of slinging mud, and yet conservatives rally behind their leader and throw out the curse words to support the rude statements that are allowed to air on the radio. Ms. Speier spoke in a respectful way and deserves respect in return. I don’t say this simply because she is female – age or gender play no role as big as the fact that we are all human and have feelings. There must be a way to get a point across without calling names or cursing. Sadly, even the threads below the youtube posting were rude. In fact, many were downright foul, using language that should only be seen in a Penthouse forum.
Here’s the video:
In the end, it shows a lack of manners. Manners? Yes, as in ”the unenforced standards of conduct which demonstrate that a person is proper, polite, and refined.” Who better than to remind us of good manners than Emily Post. She prefaces an article on everyday manners by saying, “We use daily manners constantly without even thinking. From greeting and introducing others to making requests and expressing thanks, these simple exchanges are the foundation of all interactions. Since our choices impact others, it is important to make our choices thoughtfully, so as to communicate a considerate awareness of oneself and others.” So once again, I refer to the maven of manners, Ms. Emily Post, for advice, and here it is:
5 Ways to Combat Rudeness
Easy as 1, 2, 3…
- Don’t take it personally. Perhaps the offender is having a bad day.
- Size up your annoyances. Is it worth it to make a fuss over something small, or is it a waste of your emotional time?
- Set a good example. Rudeness begets rudeness. If you speak sharply to the bank teller, don’t be surprised if you get the same treatment in return.
- Count to ten. When someone’s behavior makes you angry, take a few deep breaths and ask yourself, “Is it really worth blowing my stack over this?”
- Laugh it off. If you can’t come up with a friendly joke, just chuckle and change the subject.
She’s right. Rush isn’t attacking any of us personally. He is just having a bad day. He has never known the joy of being a parent or having a successful marriage. Is it worth getting myself upset? No – he has no real power, just a lot of hot air and a microphone. I will be a good example, and I will not lower myself to name calling and bullying (although I have shared a few funny pictures… but I can go to church and ask the priest for forgiveness… as long as my money’s in the basket, I’m covered, right?But that’s another post for another day…. ). ‘
Rudeness begets rudeness so like Ms. Speier, I will be professional and keep the rude comments to myself, and I’ll try the ‘count to 10′ idea to see if that helps.
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10.
Hmmm. I’m not feeling it. Maybe I should try again.
1. Don’t use Century 21; 2. Don’t use Quicken products; 3. Get a real lawyer and don’t use Legal Zoom; 4. Be grateful you have a water-bed and you don’t need a Sleep Number bed; 5. Stay away from any products that sponsor conservative republicans such as those listed above 6. Teach my children that even though we are in the 21st century there are still double-standards when it comes to many things, which is why Viagra can be covered by a prescription plan but hormones can not; 7. Talk with my children about respect and safe sex and abstinence, and remind them that Hollywood relationships are as scripted as everything else there and most aren’t ‘real’ which is why they don’t last; 8. Investigate how many vasectomies are covered by health insurance; 9………
Nope, I just can’t get through to 10! (Sigh) Maybe I should just skip to Ms. Post’s final suggestion: Laugh it off. 
Yup, that helps a little.
credits: http://www.allvoices.com/cartoons/c/90428191-rush-limbaughs-take-on-women
http://www.emilypost.com/everyday-manners
Nothing speaks as loudly as action. I’ve signed a petition to his sponsors–which I’m sure many of us have–and then he gets no more attention from me. If I need to sign more, I will. If I need to show up at a protest, I will. Mostly, I’ll vote in November for the other side. In the meantime, I’m stumping to get a Democratic woman on the ballot for Congress–walking door to door and getting as many signatures as I can. Whatever it takes, I’ll do, with confidence that millions of women are with me.