political discourse

I love a good political discussion. I've had friends of differing political views since junior high school. We've always been able to have heated conversations, then put them aside and go have a coke together laughing about all we have in common.

Lately, the level of political discourse has devolved to such a level of name-calling and hysterical, stupefying ignorant remarks that I'm finding myself thinking about the wisdom of keeping conversations limited to the weather and fashions of the day -- neither of which I care one iota about. That's the point. I truly care about politics and how discussion is being spewed all over the social media. My blood pressure, which is normally low, is palpably higher when I see how people are talking about these things.

I think it is time for Emily Post to visit Facebook, My Space and Twitter. We cannot survive as a society without rules of engagement, rules of etiquette. I'm troubled that people call our President by his first name, and use language not fitting to a respected office on his Facebook page! I believe his transparency may be the root of his problems. We are too familiar. Familiarity breeds contempt. President Obama may be reaping what he sewed with his Blackberry, but folks we need to step up and recognize the errors of our own ways...

As we've learned how to make television coverage of the Presidency graceful and official, we now need to learn a way to make the casual atmosphere of social networking a place where we respect each other and our elected officials. Self-control and a little bit of filtering wouldn't hurt.