We should not be so narrow-minded or blinded by our own self-perception that we cannot admit that our American history has not always been a journey of formal politeness and courtesy in behavior and speech. We do have a documented past of rudeness and bad manners. Over time, we developed as a nation of people who became more mindful of gallantry, considerations and regard. Our rough frontier adventurousness served us well in the Westward movement but we slowly became a bit more sophisticated in our social settings as we embraced respect, politeness and affability.
Whatever our past and whatever our future, I believe it's fair to state that our 'present' is nothing short of regrettable. Our lives are filled with hateful, finger-pointing ugliness. We are bitterly split between political philosophies and we see a renewal of racial hatred and division. Greater suspicion towards people who look and worship differently is common among us. Recently, we have even witnessed an escalation of anger and mistrust between men and women. We Americans are living in a fractured society and our civility is in disrepair.
Few are happy; most are frustrated if not downright angry. What a way to live!
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