Civil Disobedience or Mob Rule?

Yesterday I was conversing on-line with a couple of people who are British citizens, but who live in the United States.  We were discussing the rioting and violence that is happening in Britain.  One of the gentlemen commented that this was a day of shame for Britain.  In an effort to make him feel better, I told him that this is more than Britain's problem, it is a world wide problem.  It's mob rule.  I told him that the United States has also had "days of shame."  He asked me to point to a time in the United States where there had been rioting.  I told him that I hadn't seen it to the extent that I'm seeing it now in Britain, but that I remembered the Rodney King riots in Southern California, and that I also remembered the race riots of the 1960s and 1970s.  He conceded that he did remember the Rodney King riots, but told me that he put the riots of the 1960s and 1970s in a "different class" because they were for a "purpose."  It was at that point that I extracted myself from the conversation.

So is rioting ever justified?  Is mob rule okay, because it's for a cause?  Who determines whether the cause warrants the violence?  Is there a visible line in the sand between "civil disobedience" and "mob rule?"  Merriam Webster on-line gives this definition for civil disobedience:  "Refusal to obey governmental demands or commands especially as a nonviolent and usually collective means of forcing concessions from the government."  That does not sound like the race riots of the 1960s and 1970s to me, and it certainly is not the rioting and burning of London and other British cities.

I have always been a big proponent of civil rights, and as a teenager tested the limits at home because I did not want my parents to apply for a variance from the high school that the district wanted me to attend for desegregation reasons.  I lost that battle, but it was a battle worth fighting.

I watched in horror the police brutality during the 1968 Democratic National Convention after a year of over a hundred riots in cities across the nation.  I also remember with disgust the Kent State Massacre in 1970 after a student protest of the American invasion of Cambodia.  Both these incidents prove to me that there is also potential for wrong doing within our own government agencies--even mob rule.

I've always treated people as I would want to be treated, regardless of the color of skin, nationality, or what religion they are (or aren't).  Things are still not perfect for all segments of society, but I'm glad that we've had a great deal of success in my lifetime.  However, I would never set fire to a city, beat people with sticks, kick a person's head in with cowboy boots (an incident I remember from my childhood), throw rocks through windows, and terrorize my neighbors "for the cause."  There is a right way and a wrong way to bring about change.

My Dad used to say that mob rule is ugly, and "when you find yourself in a crowd, be on the 'outside looking in,' not on the 'inside looking out.'"  That's an incredibly vivid picture for me that I've always remembered.  I've been in the middle of crowds, and I've watched things begin to turn sour.  At some point, you have to remove yourself from the crowd and then take a look at what is happening around you.  If it smells foul, back away.  That foul smell is mob rule.

I don't live in Great Britain, and I won't pretend to understand what is happening, or the reasons behind what is happening.  I do agree with my on-line friend that it is a very sad day in British history.  I don't agree with him that it would have somehow been justified "for cause."  Civility is paramount to the survival of society.  How we treat our fellow human beings and their property shouldn't be based on some "theory" of who is right or wrong.  There is a line in the sand that I will not cross, no matter how justified the cause.

The Old Table, or A Call for Civility

Mom refinished my grandmother's old round oak table with claw feet. Every night our family had dinner around that old table. As a kid, I told Mom that someday I wanted the table. My children grew up around that table. Dinnertime conversation was and is important to our family, and the table symbolizes every dinnertime conversation we every had.

I think the first conversation I can remember was a political discussion as to whether President John F. Kennedy should have appeared in a swim suit on a public beach with his children. I was only six years old when he was elected, so I don't remember whether this was during the campaign, or whether it was after he became president. I think it was after he became president.

During the Vietnam war, there were many political conversations around the table. We discussed everything, and no subject was taboo. My Uncle Dale and Aunt Wilma would come to town once or twice a year, and Dale would purposely take the opposite side of any discussion just to see what arguments you could make. Danny and I taught our children around the table. We talked about school strikes and the space shuttle that blew up. We talked about presidents and politics.

As a result of these dinnertime talks, I've had many conversations with friends and co-workers about politics, religion, etc. I don't remember ever getting into a situation of animosity in these discussions--until recently. Something has happened in our country. Something has gone dreadfully wrong. People can't "discuss" anymore. It has to be name calling and fury. I've noticed this over the last couple of years, but it all came to head with me over the last couple of days.

A friend of mine posted a video on Facebook with her comments. I began a discussion with her about the topic, and posted a video for her to watch, as well. This was all very friendly. Suddenly, two "gentlemen" who I've never met were attacking me with verbal barbs. I will sum it up like this: in the course of about 12 hours, I was called an irresponsible, idiotic liar and a racist retard. All this because I believe that socialized medicine will turn out to be a mistake for our country. I was aghast at the hostility shown by these men toward a woman they've never met. I'm pretty sure that if they were standing in the same room with me, they would have toned down the barbs somewhat, but because they were hiding behind a computer screen, I was a clear target for venting their hostility.

I'm not sure what this says about society in America, but whatever it says, I don't like it. What happened to the America I grew up in where the opinions of others were respected as freedom of speech? I am respectful of the opinions of others. I'm respectful of their opinions, but I certainly don't have to tolerate personal attacks on my character. Those who know me well, know that I can (and will) come up fighting when attacked personally.

For those who will read this blog post, I'm calling for civility in our political discussions with others. This is America where all are supposed to be free to express an opinion. Be respectful of others. Be respectful of their opinions. Discuss; don't attack. My Dad used to say that you can learn something from everyone you meet. Of course, that can only happen if you are open to hear what those people have to say. Maybe we all should have an old round oak table. Maybe Mom's table has magic powers to teach people the art of civilized discussion.