Complaining about incivility assumes a level playing field between individuals. That is not the case here. When most people say something negative to someone, it carries with it little consequence beyond briefly hurting that person’s feelings. That does not hold true when the supposed leader of the free world—or his agents—do it.
However, editorials like “Let the Trump Team Eat in Peace” and “Incivility Infests Life in the U.S. On Trump’s Cue” seem to feel that people being impolite to Trump and members of his team is as much of a problem as Trump separating thousands of families.
That outrage seems to ignore the fact that, for instance, calmly asking someone to leave your restaurant harms absolutely no one but Sarah Huckabee Sanders, a woman who, by her actions, has assisted in harming a great many.
Most of the ways that the GOP and its members are being protested aren’t remotely violent. We’re not talking about violent resistance. The debate has gone from “Can you punch Nazis?” to “Must you serve Nazis a lemon meringue pie with no objection?”
If you stand by and stay silent and civil in the face this kind of behavior, here is what will happen: people working for the opposing side will say you’re very polite. They will pat you on the head. Then they will, unopposed, go out and institute policies that will hurt thousands of people.
Why You Need to Say No to Civility
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