Politics can be a nasty and dirty business but a San Diego group hopes to restore that,
the second annual civility conference, joining me is Carl Luna, political science professor
and Martha Barnette, host of "a way with words."
>> DWANE BROWN: Guys, what's the big idea?
Is there a problem with communication in politics?
>> Have you been watching the news and listening to the radio?
>> DWANE BROWN: Yes, I have, in fact, I probably have been involved in that process.
Now, you know that's an fecious question but I ask just the same.
Is there a problem that we can fix by changing how we speak, how we come across, what?
>> You go back to the 1970s, the sorts of things that were on talk radio and cable news,
Saturday night live, now it's day in and day out, constant deMondayization dividing us
up, and we can recognize that and get a dialogue going among people and it's a long term process
to change the times, if you will, but I don't think people are tired of gridlock and they're
beginning to recognize how we're talking "at" each other is keeping us from talking with
each other.
>> DWANE BROWN: Interesting point, this is the second year for the civility conference,
what was the impetus last year and how did it go?
>> It came out of the 2010 elections and negative comments and the gridlock in America, and
the general feeling maybe we're going too far with calling names.
So we held our first event, over 100 people attended and it invigorated us to continue
the process and we would like to get on people's social radar, how you say things and conduct
yourselves publically does matter but if you're working as "we the people" toward common decisions
you have to have respect for each other.
>> I was thinking about etimology, of course, the word goes back to having to do with the
art of government and is related to citizen and city and civic and if we're recognizing
citizenship, that could help us try to see past the stereotypes and the name calling,
the Fascist versus communist, you're going to be at a standstill when you're digging
your heels in and what we need to do is create a civil dialogue that moves the country forward
together.
>> DWANE BROWN: What I'm thinking about is whatever happened to the "agree to disagree"
to move forward, right?
We may not agree on how to get it done or what caused it but we do agree that we both
have to come to a consensus and move forward for the sake of the people for the sake of
this city, the sake of this state, right?
>> In 1960 John Kennedy could say both Republicans and democratics both wanted what was best
for America and they could move forward, the goodwill concept has disappeared.
Bottom line our entire system of government is based on compromise.
When you can't reach the middle ground it falls apart.
Polls showed over the last 10 years they didn't want consensus, they wanted "our side" to
win, now the majority says they wouldn't mind compromise and if that grows the only way
you're going to reach compromise is to be more civil with each other and respect both
sides.
"We the people" means everybody is a winner and it's the winfrey school where you get
something and I get something.
>> DWANE BROWN: Martha, you're one of the panelists on the conference tomorrow.
What is your brief message to those that will attend?
>> My message is a version of what I'm always saying, words are powerful, they can be used
to divide us, unit us, to celebrate somebody, to demean somebody and we need to pay attention
and if you're elevated in your speech when you're talking about these issues, I think
that has an affect not only on you but the person who is listening to you, I would like
to think.
>> DWANE BROWN: And I would like to think that public television and radio is more civil
than other things we see out there so we're an example, right?
>> Most certainly.
>> DWANE BROWN: Burn burn, Carl Luna, thank you.
>> Thank you.