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Many years ago I left the tranquility of Union Parish and spent my summer as a Committee Clerk of the Retirement Committee at the state capital in Baton Rouge. This was during the regular session of the Louisiana Legislature. I expected respect and decorum as members of the House entered legislation and provided insight into proposed legislation while speaking at the front of the chambers. I was in for a rude awakening.
Respect was not paramount. Legislatures would come to the podium to speak and the rest of the house would talk and it appeared that no one was listening. The first week was a wake-up call and the lessons learned as a child was not being communicated up through the path to adulthood in the state capital. When I returned home after the first week it was apparent that this had a negative impact on a young life. My mother told me I was hollering in my sleep to let the man speak, quit interrupting.
E,L, “Bubba” Henry from Jonesboro eventually became the Speaker of the Huse and he made some large changes to the operation of the House of Representatives. Stability ensued and the House was more respectful; what we would expect from a group of political professionals representing their constituency in Louisiana.
That was the end to this type of operation. At least I thought it was. There were press releases over the years that disclosed despicable behavior in other countries’ halls of leadership. There were news clips of fist fights in the Thai congress. Of course the English Parliament can become very vocal and shocking coming from a country of such pomp and circumstance. Who can forget Saddam Hussein going to the podium of the Iraqi congress and having his henchmen arresting and removing opponents from their congressional seats. Many would not be seen alive again. Thank goodness that America is so much more respectful; or is it.
Over the last ten days we have witnessed one of the most despicable and revolting scenes we have ever seen in the halls of congress. As revered as the House of Representatives is, the Senate is an even more admired body of congress. Respectability is expected from the senior body in Washington. Nothing could have been further from the truth.
The recommended cabinet of the current president has been submitted to congress for review, vetting and approval. Anyone surfing the news channels during the day are seeing the same picture on all channels. That being the grilling of cabinet candidates by a Senate committee. Unfortunately this is more a carnival show than what should be a lesson in American values.
We hear that there is no place in American society for bullying yet when a microphone is placed in front of many members of the senate committee that rule is forgotten. Candidates are bullied unmercifully from members of the Senate committee. Instead of questions and answers that should lead to a better understanding, the candidates are lectured to and after five minutes of vile finger pointing there is only a few seconds left to respond to the venomous attack. Instead of America’s best interest being at the front of the hearing, self serving grandstanding is embarrassing our nation and the sanctity of America’s hallowed halls. Instead of broadcasting to the world what America stands for, we are spreading the image of how appalling we are. America is better than this We are not a banana republic and we must be better at communicating with each other in a civil manner.
Civility is defined as formal politeness and courtesy in behavior or speech, polite remarks used in formal conversation. It is expected that congress in general and the senate specifically aspire to this doctrine. Unfortunately it has not and until this happens it will be difficult for America to regain itself as being the leader of the free world, the leader that all countries aspire to be.
God Bless America, God Save the Ukraine and Pray for Israel.
