Have you ever been ticketed, detained or arrested by the Civility Police? If you’re a member of this community, I’m sure you have. While the saying “Patriotism is the last refuge of the scoundrel” is certainly true, the cudgel of the patriot scoundrel is often “civility”. Think of all the wagging and tongue clucking over the “assault” of Tucker Carlson. While Carlson put his hands on the man who had the opportunity (few do) to tell Carlson exactly what he thought of him, somehow the man who spoke those words was the aggressor. Never mind Carlson uses his soapbox nightly to mock members of law enforcement, the military, Congress and now rape survivors between pushing the racist and already deadly Great Replacement Theory, we of the great unwashed had better mind our manners. Brutality for them, civility for us. Fuck Your Feelings for them, Mother May I for us. Asymmetrical warfare.
And it’s worse for woman. Early in my career (decades before #metoo) I learned that my boss talked freely with my male colleagues about what he’d like to do to me sexually. Of course his words were brushed off as “locker room talk” while if I dare to utter, “Look at that ass, I’d like to fuck him” it would be met with a stern reprimand for my lack of professionalism and the woe-is-me need for “civility”.
The civility chicken has come home to roost. My small town government tolerates no criticism, no dissent. None. Last year I addressed the use of a signage ordinance to ban “human figure” decorations, which was a really sloppy and twisted maneuver to inject a certain brand of Christian beliefs right into our town square. Well, the good ol’ boys did not like that one bit. Not at all. While naturally I figured if they were that sloppy and reckless with the application of a signage ordinance, what else might they be up to? I submitted requests for public documents. Nothing. So I continued. Nothing. So I went in person. Our town clerk insisted that she “go over” the documents with me. I explained that the really nice thing about laws, they speak for themselves. As I am fully capable of reading and comprehending, I didn’t need any help. Lather, rinse, repeat. The next time I went to get documents, I got the same treatment. Frustrated and angry, with no one in the Town Hall wearing masks, and my emotional support pup waiting in the hot car outside, I left again.
And that’s when things really got ugly. I was referred to the Town attorney who claimed my lack of civility was the reason why I could not, would not get the public records. When I countered that there was no “civility” clause in our State law or the Constitution, he agreed but insisted that since I was such a mouthy, nasty little B (not his words but clearly his meaning), I could no longer submit requests through the Town clerk and would have to go through him. And I refused pointing out that if a high school cheerleader could give the middle finger and a hearty “fuck you” to her public school and her squad, I was certainly well within my rights to get huffy with my local government. I didn’t get started on the 1/6 “hugs and kisses”, that would open a whole other can o’ worms.
The lawyer is a Republican operative, and a slimy one, working to boost his party and his guy, the man who talked about grabbing women by the p---y, said Meghan Kelly was bleeding from her “whatever”, called Africa a “shithole country” and was beloved by men and women alike for his nasty language, name calling and general bullying. So I say to you my friends, do not be cowed, bullied, insulted or intimidated by the civility police. It’ a cudgel, the weapon of choice for scoundrels. Know your rights, use your voice and don’t ever let anyone tell you otherwise.