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Friday, 09 December 2005 08:27 |
On the morning of Nov. 28, a basketball-sized chunk of marble crumbled and fell off the U.S. Supreme Court building, tumbling onto the steps below.
The incident is appropriate, considering the current level of public discourse in this country, which is likewise crumbling.
Take for example the case of Pennsylvania Rep. John Murtha, a Democrat.
Murtha, a decorated Vietnam veteran who served in the U.S. Marine Corps and is a long-time supporter of the current war in Iraq who visits injured soldiers every week, said that he believes the United States needs to withdraw its military from Iraq as soon as possible.
In response, he was subjected to several vicious and personal atttacks.
Republican Rep. Jean Schmidt said, ?®Cowards cut and run ?? Marines never
do,?∆ while responding to Murtha on the Congressional floor.
Meanwhile, Vice President Dick Cheney, who had five deferments in Vietnam, criticized Murtha for a lack of backbone.
Both were low attacks on a man who has demonstrated more than once his patriotism and devotion.
Whatever one believes about the war in Iraq or the strategies that
should be pursued, such vile personal attacks only damage the country,
especially during such an important time.
From all indications, Murtha??s transformation from ardent supporter of
the war to critic did not happen overnight. His criticism about the way
the continuing war is damaging America and his assertion that we should
withdraw deserve serious consideration.
Perhaps the war??s supporters have a better plan. Perhaps they can offer
a serious and considered rebuttal to Murtha??s assertions. Such
level-headed discussion over the best way to conduct the war, or how
best to withdraw from it, would be a welcome change of pace and
contribute to the national conversation regarding a difficult challenge.
Instead, however, the Republicans who attacked Murtha have leveled
personal accusations of cowardice and underhanded smears against a man
who is a sincere public servant.
Enough. A lively, but polite and serious, public discourse is
absolutely essential for a democracy to overcome its challenges.
Replacing that discourse with a strategy of attacking anyone who brings
up a counter argument is immature and only chips away at the once-proud
edifice of true civil debate in this country.
It is in our hands to change this unfortunate scenario. America deserves better than personal bashing on the floor of Congress.
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