But they had been used for hundreds of years by Jesuit priests instructing the children of nobility.
For lessons on the importance of civility, look to our Founding Fathers
The National Institute for Civil Discourse, established at the
University of Arizona on Feb. 21, has not come a moment too
soon.
The founders of our nation valued the kind of gentle behavior
that is all too often absent from our current public, and
regrettably political, conduct.
We have a clear historical record showing that George Washington
studied civility. When he was a teen, he copied into a school
workbook 110 "Rules of Civility & Decent Behavior in Company
and Conversation."
It's unclear whether a tutor or family member gave him the rules
to reproduce, or even how they were transported to the colonies.
But they had been used for hundreds of years by Jesuit priests
instructing the children of nobility.
Historian Richard Brookhiser called the rules "virtues of
humanity" because they focus on how one should treat others.
Brookhiser said: "The way men behave in polite society is related
to how they order society. Politeness is the first form of
politics."
James Madison's detailed notes of the Constitutional Convention
in Philadelphia record the founders' codification of rules for
conduct at this gathering of rebels. Following the generally
recognized rules of behavior in representative bodies, they
established decorum that allowed each of those present to be heard
in an orderly and respectful way. This courtesy permitted delegates
to debate and resolve extremely difficult issues without
rancor.
The result was a Constitution that incorporates the warp and
weft of compromise.
The first of Washington's rules of civility said, "Every action
done in company ought to be done with some sign of respect to those
that are present." The last of the rules reminded a young
Washington to: "Labor to keep alive in your breast that little
spark of celestial fire called conscience."
In between were precepts that taught Washington to think before
speaking and to maintain a "grave" countenance when discussing
serious matters. They warned him not to take pleasure from the
misfortune of others or to find fault with those who failed even
though they had done their best.
They encouraged Washington to accept criticism with grace, and
to offer it only in private and with "mildness."
George Washington was respected for his impeccable manners and
strenuous efforts to protect others from embarrassment.
But that did not stop him from leading rebellious colonies to
independence and a long-lasting union.
Our nation would be better served if more of those participating
in political debate followed the ancient rules of civility, if for
no other reason than to pay tribute to those who staked their
lives, fortunes and sacred honor to preserve our unalienable
rights.
Terrie M. Gent is a retired Air Force colonel and appellate
judge.
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