Where Has The Civility Gone?
by: Bob Reccord
William Wilberforce has two consuming passions: (1) the abolition of slavery, and (2) the restoration of manners. The first is self-explanatory… the second leaves some question when placed against the backdrop of today’s semantics. In today’s lingo we could better say a return to civility.
And I’m thinking more and more that we need a modern day Wilberforce desperately. For civility seems to be a vanishing commodity …especially when it comes to those who wield “the pen.”
For example, Chan Gailey has been the head coach of the Dallas Cowboys, and assistant coach for the Denver Broncos, Pittsburg Steelers and Miami Dolphins. Presently, he serves as head coach of the Yellow Jackets of Georgia Tech. But they didn’t win a bowl game, and he didn’t meet the expectations of the Jacket’s moneyed alumni.
Thus the story by Atlanta Journal sports columnist Mark Bradley titled “Gailey haters hope NFL lures him.” The second paragraph proclaims, “A lot of Tech fans hope Chan Gailey leaves.” It later goes on to say “…he has worked here five years—never having a losing season, never failing to grace a bowl game—without having won over his constituency. And if, having just completed the best of the five seasons, he hasn’t done it by now, there’s little chance he will.”
Chan Gailey is a fine gentleman…a Christian gentleman. A man of character and integrity. Whether he has met some expectations of wins and bowl games or not, no one deserves to be dealt with in the public press like this. It is humiliating and demeaning. In other words, it is a lack of civility.
I’m sure that Mr. Bradley is a good man. I have no idea of his faith orientation. But I firmly believe this type of article is out of bounds in a society that is screaming with a need for a return to a civil approach. And there are increasing occurances, it seems, when those who call themselves “Christian” write similar styled articles, blogs or books. Criticizing, castigating, judging and slamming others. Setting themselves as judges liberally pronouncing indictments to put others “in their place.”
Whatever happened to “your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples” (John 13:35)? Now that is civility!
Where is a William Wilberforce when you need him? We are in desperate need of, not one, but many.
February 8th, 2007 at 7:54 pm
Bob have you heard about Eric Metaxes new biogrpahy on William Wilberforce? and the new movie amazing grace coming out? interesting you mention wilberforce. check it out. www.ericmataxes.com