Civility Corner - January 31, 2014

Over the years of ministerial and political careers, I have had many encounters with those who seem to enjoy attacking the work of others. As a boy, my sisters and I spent many Saturday nights with our Grandma Annie Mae, and on Sunday morning, we would attend her church. Although the pastor was not likely seminary trained, he said something one Sunday that he perhaps knew to be profound and dynamic. I know that it struck a chord with at least two people, me and the preacher. For the next few years, he altered his best line each time I went to Grandma's church. Just about every black person in the town of Waxahachie could relate to this line, since every black person sharecropped or had a garden they tended for themselves. The reverend's favorite line was, "fussin' about your neighbor's garden won't keep the cockleburs out of your garden."

We, the political leaders of the country, would benefit from the old pastor's words. In many ways, criticism quite often reveals the rationality or reasonableness of the criticism itself. It is amazing how simple it is to become a Capitol Hill critic. In fact, it is easy to tear down any idea, organization, or person. Anyone can do it. No training is necessary. Vision is not valued and reasoning is not required. With major legislative work ahead of this body, our number one goal should always center on weeding the garden of our own mind, so that it remains free of the cockleburs of judgment, lack of civility, and intolerance.

If we could each commit to stop fussin' about our neighbor's garden, we could flourish in growing a more robust and bountiful harvest for all gardens.