President preaches 'civility' at prayer breakfast

By Ann Kane

We can agree to disagree. If this politically correct line incenses you, you're not alone. A typical argument between a leftist and a conservative frequently ends with the leftist saying those words. In effect, he is silencing the opposition.

President Obama gave an "agree to disagree" speech at the National Prayer Breakfast at the Hilton Washington on Thursday. However, he emphasized that he expected both sides of the aisle to comply with his advice on ‘civility'. He used the word nine times during the preachy discourse. Here are excerpts:

But there is a sense that something is different now; that something is broken; that those of us in Washington are not serving the people as well as we should. At times, it seems like we're unable to listen to one another; to have at once a serious and civil debate.

Stretching out of our dogmas, our prescribed roles along the political spectrum that can help us regain a sense of civility.

Civility also requires relearning how to disagree without being disagreeable; understanding, as President [Kennedy] said, that "civility is not a sign of weakness."

And through that office we've turned the faith-based initiative around to find common ground among people of all beliefs, allowing them to make an impact in a way that's civil and respectful of difference and focused on what matters most.

It is this spirit of civility that we are called to take up when we leave here today. That's what I'm praying for. I know in difficult times like these -- when people are frustrated, when pundits start shouting and politicians start calling each other names -- it can seem like a return to civility is not possible, like the very idea is a relic of some bygone era. The word itself seems quaint -- civility.

Nice soft, warm touchy-feely words. They're so inspiring, don't they just make you want to run to your liberal neighbor, and apologize for all the nasty things you called him. Is there anyone left within earshot of this president that believes anything he says?

Obama doesn't want us to question his motives or policies, so he accuses us of not acting civilly, and of not having compassion for our brothers and sisters. David Axelrod may not be Obama's main speechwriter, but the text smacks of his claptrap.

And this erosion of civility in the public square sows division and distrust among our citizens. It poisons the well of public opinion. It leaves each side little room to negotiate with the other. It makes politics an all-or-nothing sport, where one side is either always right or always wrong when, in reality, neither side has a monopoly on truth. And then we lose sight of the children without food and the men without shelter and the families without health care.

The purpose of analyzing the drivel of the president is to make us aware of the methods he uses to seduce some of us into submission to his will.