The Civility Project

• A new 'house divided' threatens U.S. future

  Published Sunday, November 4, 2012

  The worst possible outcome of this election isn’t who will or will not occupy the White House. It’s that our own house remains divided. Even if claims that this is the most contentious election in history are over the top, it’s been contentious enough — caustic, even bitter at times. And, it seems, disruptive of what we should value most — relationships.

• More on Civilitas

  Published Thursday, February 23, 2012

  The Masthead winter 2012 has more background and discussion of the renamed project, Civilitas AOJ, which aims to encourage energetically effective public discourse, civilly. Three of these articles deal directly with issues related to the project: Civilitas revisited (with the word's root), digital cesspool, and civic engagement.

• Civilitas: The former Civility Project

  Published Monday, January 30, 2012

  A new year brings a new name and a broadened focus for the thing that has thus far been known as “the civility project.” The new name – “Civilitas AOJ” – follows directly from the broadened focus. Our 2011 conversation on political civility and related matters produced a number of insights into the area of concern that we were poised to enter. For

• Uncivil and Unsound

  Published Monday, November 21, 2011

  “Argument” often brings up the notion of quarreling, angry yelling -- even fisticuffs or a wish to apply a horse whip. But it has more civilized meanings, in debate, logic, mathematics, even computer programming. As Roy Maynard notes, “British writer G.K. Chesterton once said of his beloved brother Cecil, ‘We often argued but never quarreled.’ This would be

• Speak your Mind on the Civility Project

  Published Friday, October 28, 2011

  Please give this your serious consideration. Members, please use the NCEW listserv to comment, suggest and criticize. Be as specific as you wish, and as vehement. This project is conducted in the spirit of the First Amendment. The terrain as we observe it: The constitutional right of free speech brings out the best in us, and the worst. On any given

• NCEW has a head start on civility issue

  Published Tuesday, August 23, 2011

  Our commitment to high standards in the public discussion goes back many years By Frank Partsch A civility project may sound like something new for The National Conference of Editorial Writers. But the NCEW commitment to high standards in the public discussion goes back many years. Consider the first two items in NCEW’s Basic Statement of