A message from Georgetown President John J. DeGioia on civility and public discourse, in light of recent comments about Georgetown law student,Sandra Fluke
Dear Members of the Georgetown Community:
There is a legitimate question of public policy before our nation today. In the effort to address the problem of the nearly fifty million Americans who lack health insurance, our lawmakers enacted legislation that seeks to increase access to health care. In recent weeks, a question regarding the breadth of services that will be covered has focused significant public attention on the issue of contraceptive coverage. Many, including the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, have offered important perspectives on this issue.
In recent days, a law student of Georgetown, Sandra Fluke, offered her testimony regarding the proposed regulations by the Department of Health and Human Services before a group of members of Congress. She was respectful, sincere, and spoke with conviction. She provided a model of civil discourse. This expression of conscience was in the tradition of the deepest values we share as a people. One need not agree with her substantive position to support her right to respectful free expression. And yet, some of those who disagreed with her position -- including Rush Limbaugh and commentators throughout the blogosphere and in various other media channels -- responded with behavior that can only be described as misogynistic, vitriolic, and a misrepresentation of the position of our student.
In our vibrant and diverse society, there always are important differences that need to be debated, with strong and legitimate beliefs held on all sides of challenging issues. The greatest contribution of the American project is the recognition that together, we can rely on civil discourse to engage the tensions that characterize these difficult issues, and work towards resolutions that balance deeply held and different perspectives. We have learned through painful experience that we must respect one another and we acknowledge that the best way to confront our differences is through constructive public debate. At times, the exercise of one person's freedom may conflict with another's. As Americans, we accept that the only answer to our differences is further engagement.
In an earlier time, St. Augustine captured the sense of what is required in civil discourse: "Let us, on both sides, lay aside all arrogance. Let us not, on either side, claim that we have already discovered the truth. Let us seek it together as something which is known to neither of us. For then only may we seek it, lovingly and tranquilly, if there be no bold presumption that it is already discovered and possessed."
If we, instead, allow coarseness, anger -- even hatred -- to stand for civil discourse in America, we violate the sacred trust that has been handed down through the generations beginning with our Founders. The values that hold us together as a people require nothing less than eternal vigilance. This is our moment to stand for the values of civility in our engagement with one another.
For over three decades, John J. DeGioia has helped to define and strengthen Georgetown University as a premier institution for education and research. Since graduating from the University in 1979, he has served both as a senior administrator and as a faculty member. On July 1, 2001, he became Georgetown's 48th president.
So stuff your pleas for civilty. Nobody is buying it.
So stuff your dread against civility. Nobody is listening.
She seems to think it's a right to get free contraception, it's not, it's her choice.
This whole thing stems from Obamacare's blatent infrigment on religious rights. Now I hear that free contraception is a good cost savings measure. What's next, the State to dictate how many kids a woman can have? China has forced abortions, are we going down that path?
http://act.credoaction.com/campaign/ads_limbaugh/?rc=LA_Rush_03022012_ad4
Since we started our campaign, several major advertisers have pulled their support from the Rush Limbaugh Show,1 the most popular commercial radio show in the country and a key piece of the rightwing message machine. The backlash has been so great that even after doubling down in defense of his reprehensible comments, Limbaugh was forced to issue a rare -- and totally insufficient -- apology stating "my choice of words was not the best."2
Rush Limbaugh is clearly feeling the pressure of our activism. But his so-called apology isn't nearly enough. After his long history of being supported by advertisers while making offensive and irresponsible statements, he shouldn't get yet another chance. This should be the last straw.
He still retains major national advertisers who continue to fund his misogynistic rants. We need your help to build on our momentum and deal Republicans a major setback in their war against women.
Tell Rush Limbaugh's advertisers: Stop Supporting Rush Limbaugh's attacks on women.
Every American enjoys the right to free speech, but that doesn't mean that advertisers who are accountable to their customers should pay people like Rush Limbaugh who make such appallingly hateful and sexist comments.
Rush's remaining advertisers need to hear from us loud and clear -- if you advertise on Rush Limbaugh, you are supporting his reprehensible attacks on women.
Thank you for joining CREDO in taking action.
It's too easy to point a finger and call a woman a slut for having a sex life, but we all pay for one another's lifestyle choices in the end.
Ha
“We must return to the values that hold us together.â€, which seeks to utilize this minor issue to elevate civility over the ONLY issue that has ever held us together - Freedom.
“As Americans, we accept that the only answer to our differences is further engagement. “ which deceptively and disingenuously seeks to elevate democracy in general and social democracy in particular over the Freedom upon which this nation was founded.
“The values that hold us together as a people require nothing less than eternal vigilance. “ has been systematically and thoroughly violated over the last 75 yrs. - as an ever growing social democratic state has been incrementally ratcheted into place; because - with every step of its advance, the most fundamental value that once held us together - Freedom - has been diminished to the point of extinction by the collectivist tyranny of this collectivist state.
Worse, no value other than Freedom is capable of holding us together, so DeGioia’s comments amount to nothing more than re-arranging the deck chairs on our sinking ship of state - when only repairing the gigantic hole of Freedom in our hull can save it.
http://i1186.photobucket.com/albums/z379/BoyInBOYCOTT/CourageFluke.jpg