The death of this latest child killed by gun violence happened one day after pro-gun activists heckled Neil Heslin, father of 6-year-old Jesse Heslin, one of the 6-year-olds massacred in Newtown, CT.

The sorry performance of the 112th Congress brought the perception of this once-esteemed body to what is probably an all-time low. If the 113th replicates the behavior of the 112th, Congress' prestige will be driven so far underground that it will never again be resurrected.

If my Internet troll and I can come together, can't we expect at least that much from the people we send to Washington to do the same?

Last week's election is still fresh on our minds, and wounds take time to heal. The question we must now answer is whether our scarred society will demand better once we're mended. One can only hope.

Jonathan Miller, an Obama supporter, and Ted Buerger, a Romney supporter, are two of the co-founders of No Labels. Here, each of them suggest what they'd like to hear from their candidate of choice in the closing days of Election 2012.

For most people, civility translates to quieter, measured and (one hopes) thoughtful discussion (vs. the raised voices and uncomfortable feelings we associated with what we've come to think of as uncivil behavior).

Shortly after being declared the winner, the next president will claim a mandate to govern. His supporters will revel in his victory and demand that his mandate, delivered by the voters, be honored. Both misread American politics and the Constitution.

When I heard on Sunday that Arlen Specter had died, I sought solace in rummaging through personal remnants of our 30-year friendship.

Yes, conservatives, I'll defend your constitutional right to free speech. But I will not be a Nice Person when it comes to defending my rights or the rights of my friends; I will not tolerate intolerance. You do not get to claim to be "civil" so long as you deny me, or my friends, equality.

I'm not sure what happens in other states, but here, it goes beyond radio and television. At a party last weekend, the tunes on Pandora were interspersed with messages about the importance of somebody's China policy.

Civility requires a commitment to truth, as well as compassion. Like a dysfunctional family, a society that fosters disingenuousness and punishes directness will not be able to make good decisions.