Dear Tell All: I have to comment on your response to Baffled Badger, who deplored Wisconsin's incivility - among both Democrats and Republicans - during the recall process ("Where Are Wisconsin's Manners?" 6/14/2012). You agreed, suggesting that you'd tolerate political incivility only under fascist conditions: "If we were living under a dictatorship, I'd urge the resistance to forget about manners and start throwing Molotov cocktails in the cause of freedom."
Many on the left have felt as if they are living under a dictatorship. Consider that Gov. Scott Walker refused to meet with any of the union leadership in the state and refused to compromise in the least with the Democrats about any proposal they offered, even after tens of thousands of citizens came to the Capitol to protest his decisions.
Wisconsinites acted in a superbly restrained fashion. Amid the intensity of the protests, I witnessed right-wingers who chose to stand against the crowd being talked to in a very civil manner as protesters tried to convince them of the injustice of what this governor was doing. Election day may have been a culmination of all the passion on both sides, but during this incredibly turbulent time Wisconsinites acted with reasonable manners considering the extremely undemocratic actions of this governor.
Peaceful Protester
Dear Tell All: What a puerile question to ask: "Where are Wisconsin's manners?" Considering what's at stake (Wisconsin's democratic, traditionally clean government and all our economic futures), anyone with half a mind should have understood what's behind our so-called incivility.
Our government is now composed of disrespectful, dishonorable and downright mendacious knaves who will continue to take our state to the cleaners, thanks to our overriding stupidity. The majority of voters couldn't differentiate between our former democracy and the greedy plutocracy they chose to retain.
Stop the World, I Want to Get Off
You can call Walker undiplomatic, but come on - a dictator? The people elected him (twice), along with enough Republicans in the Legislature to pursue his agenda. Like it or not, that's democracy. I stand by my plea for civility on both sides.
