Editorial

Code or not, discussion should be civil

Monday, March 21, 2005

Whether or not McCook City Council members approve a Code of Conduct at tonight's meeting, it is good that the issue has been raised. All of us -- council members and the public alike -- would be better off if we would quit being so sarcastic and argumentative, and start being more respectful of each other when we have disagreements.

It is difficult to do, especially when a community is facing as many tough decisions as McCook is in the early years of the 21st century. But, it is possible ... and it is better ... to work for what we believe without getting personal.

Mayor Dennis Berry calls his revised plan, "Standards for Civility Among City Council Members." He is modeling the proposal after civility guidelines endorsed by the district court system in Idaho.

Civility is a word that is rarely heard today. In the dictionary it is defined as, "1. Politeness; courtesy. 2. A courteous act or utterance." Certainly, we could use more of that.

In a way, civility is related to the concept of sportsmanship, which is so important in athletic competition. But there's more to civility than being a good sport. It mainly involves two-way communication, respecting the right of another person to express his or her views, even though those beliefs may disagree with our own personal beliefs. In other words, civility means what the dictionary says: being polite and courteous.

Tough to do? You bet, especially when citizens and council members are as passionate about issues as they've been in McCook about water and sewer matters. That should continue. Over the years, McCook has gained statewide notoriety for fierce controversies, including the battle over B Street parking and efforts to pull out of the Mid-Plains College Area.

While sometimes upsetting, the right to disagree should never be compromised. We must stand up for what we believe ... today and in the future. The question is: Can we do that and still be civil? We're looking to the council members for leadership. It will be interesting to see what they decide tonight.

Respond to this story

Posting a comment requires free registration: