Readers React: Being civil when dealing with the always uncivil Trump is a near-impossible task

To the editor: I appreciate that in ordinary circumstances, it would be better to “take the high road” and maintain a level of civility. But in the case of Donald Trump, a president who obviously has no idea of how to maintain any level of civility in his efforts to discuss issues important to the operation of the government, that is a near-impossible burden.

Under ordinary circumstances, members of the president’s staff would not generally be confronted when they appear in public places; but with this president, and the tone and timbre of the people with whom he has surrounded himself, this citizen sympathizes with the shop owner who asked the White House official to leave rather than upset employees and regular customers.

The only manner of discourse that Trump practices is exactly what he’s receiving. Unfortunately, he has only gotten worse, and it appears this is the United States he wishes to lead. What a sad situation.

John Butler, Palm Springs

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To the editor: While civility in politics has always been loosely defined, it has always been the expected norm. Tragically, it is no longer recognized, expected and certainly not practiced by the Trump movement.

Those who dominate our nation’s political discourse have changed the rules of comportment because of a deep perceived fear of extinction. That fear is fed by daily, sometimes hourly tweets that identify new fronts that require entrenching at all costs.

Such fear creates desperation, thus the adage of fighting fire with fire is crystallized. You can’t debate in English when the opposition speaks only French.

America is experiencing a dramatic social and moral shift. Those who understand its significance must learn the new language.

Victor M. Franco, Pasadena

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