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In Presidential Election Discourse Emocracy Does Not Just Happen

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In Presidential Election Discourse Emocracy Does Not Just Happen Photo | Pierce Media Group President Kim Mooney (left) speaks with Gene Gibbons, former Reuters White House Bureau Chief, before C-SPAN’s flming of a segment of the Fitzwater Cen- ter’s August high school media program, The Presidency and the Press, August 10. Civility in Presidential Election Discourse emocracy does not just happen. It requires, at the very ples are many: candidates shouting each other down on the least, that its citizens, leaders and media make a pro- prime time debate stage or exchanging insults via rapid fre Dfound commitment to informed decision-making at the tweets, with media headlines following every keystroke; or polls. To this end, the First Amendment guarantees Amer- the political parties refusing to reach across the aisle, while ica’s proud tradition of robust political discourse, which at protestors and supporters hurl slurs at campaign stops. its fnest and most efective includes, at minimum, respect, At the end of such an election cycle, is the voter ready to tolerance, and rationality. make an informed decision in the voting booth? What has In short, democracy requires civility. Granted, every Amer- the frst-time voter learned about how to exercise his/her ican history book includes examples of incivility in govern- responsibilities in a democracy? ment. But to many, it appears that in this election cycle the Tis collection of essays on the concept of civility in presi- volume of our nation’s discourse has risen to dangerous dential election discourse is designed to spark conversations levels, drowning out the reasoned discussion of issues, poli- in the classroom, on buses, among family and colleagues. cies and approaches our democracy needs to thrive. Exam- Tese are conversations that need to happen. Franklin Pierce University | rindge, new HamPsHire OctOber 2016 | PAGE 1 First-time election experience leaves millennials frustrated: “It all sucks” By Juliana Wilson ‘08 those potential young voters, while Secretary Hillary “I feel like I need to do more research on the Graduate Assistant Clinton and Donald Trump, just seem so ingenuous information I desire because it seems that the only or, to put it bluntly, fake. information I’m getting is how horrible or disgusting illennials, like other American voters, may “I have learned that politics today is on the more the candidates are opposed to their plans for the head begrudgingly to the polls to cast a hateful side rather than the academic side,” said country and what they want to do when they get into Mvote for a Presidential candidate that they don’t Franklin Pierce sophomore Jessica Wolfe ’19. “It’s power so it feels like there’s not enough being said even support. “It all sucks,” they say, avoiding the not so much how much you know, it’s more about and it’s more you have to research on your own,” said question about whether or not they are ready to vote how you can bash the other person running.” Kisiel. for a president. One democracy lesson that millenials learned Friends and family members are always sharing But even if they do not want to vote for a President, from this election cycle is that voting in the primary conflicting information on social media platforms, are the local political issues and the candidates is important. Matt Scoville ’17, who is a Republican which is followed by long threads of disagreement, that represent them, enough to get them out on said, “You must vote for who you believe in when finger pointing, and oftentimes name calling. There November 8? you have a chance in the primaries because if you are far too many opinions that cloud up the facts. “I don’t think I learned anything different about don’t the wrong people will overcome the others.” This information overload has left many democracy during this election,” said Nicole Dale, So, when Sanders dropped out of the race after millennials exhausted and determined to just stay age 22, a recent Franklin Pierce college graduate who an impressive primary campaign, many millennials out of the political discourse all together. They is now getting her master’s degree. “I feel like while dropped out too. They no longer felt that the do not trust what they’ve read on the Internet, or, watching portions of the debates, that the candidates accurate information that they were longing for if they do, they will not defend what they believe, don’t even talk about democracy.” would reach them. Kiesel admits that she thinks because more than likely someone else has claimed It is true that, for many, the televised debates are the wrong people are running and is still stumped that information to be false and they don’t want to be more of an opportunity for the television networks as to how they became the front-runners for their wrong or called out. to get higher ratings. The debate has turned into parties. Simply put, they don’t believe that either the Wolfe does feel like she has enough information a flashy graphics show, with lively and active live Republican or Democratic presidential candidate is to cast an educated vote on November 8, and she’s audiences, rather than a civil discussion where the capable of telling the truth. not intimidated by the amount of information on the moderators defend the facts while the candidates do But why? Why don’t they trust the information Internet. “I know where to look,” she said. their best to present informed platforms about issues that is coming out of the mouths of the candidates? And then, to make matters more confusing for the that matter most to the American people. And if they don’t believe either candidate is telling millennials who are just trying to make an educated Through the 2016 election cycle, Franklin Pierce the truth, then how can they make an informed vote, there are all the conspiracy theories. Trump was sophomore Shaye Kisiel ’19 said she learned that decision? hired by Clinton so that she wins. Sanders lost the running for office is a “dirty process” and that the Both of these questions come down to sources. Any primary because of widespread voter fraud, which candidates act “childish with all the bashing they do college student, and most millennials in general, can was Clinton’s doing. Clinton’s emails were hacked by to each other.” tell you that it is important to have multiple sources the Russians because Trump loves Putin. Millennials, especially those attending college, in order to validate information and facts. But in But isn’t this part of democracy? It certainly is care mostly about the facts; they crave knowledge an age with so much information, literally in their discourse, as messy and conflicting as it might be. and substance. They want to be informed. This is pockets at all times, perhaps there are too many We all have a voice, but whether we chose to use it or why Senator Bernie Sanders was so attractive to sources out there to dig through. not is what makes the difference. Franklin Pierce University is an accredited university that achieves outstanding student success through the integration of liberal arts and professional programs. Degrees are offered through the doctoral level. This community of educators and learners create an environment that fosters intellectual curiosity and encourages experiential and applied learning. Each student is empowered to discover and fulfill their unique potential, so that they enter the professional world with the confidence and knowledge to be leaders of conscience. Franklin Pierce graduates are well-prepared for the professional, personal, and social demands required for success in the 21st century. Learn more at franklinpierce.edu page 2 | civility in presidential electiOn discOurse The Marlin FiTzwaTer CenTer For CoMMuniCaTion Words Matter: The Why, When, and Where of Civil Discourse By Kerry McKeever, Ph.D. was supposed to be civil discourse got us there. And Although on the surface looking at civil discourse Dean, The College at Rindge wonder we should. in this way does not appear to make distinctions that If wondering can turn to reflection, and reflection are valuable to us, it really does help to narrow the fter a few years of using any given language, to a self-conscious and consequently deliberative playing field. Let’s look at an example. First, does a most people slip into what we might call the understanding of how language works, then debate constitute a type of civil discourse? As much A“habit of knowing,” an assumption that words that wondering can be a very positive thing. Let us as we would like it to, it does not really, and here pass by us with ever increasing frequency have so wonder, for example, and to begin with, exactly is why. Back we go to the OED, where “debate” is much familiarity and fit us so well that we no longer what we mean by “civil discourse.” This aside from clearly described as an activity that is potentially question what we know, or might not know, about what we think it means, or assume it means: talking stressful, an “argument, dispute, controversy, them. We forget that words are living things, with nicely to each other about stuff. Civil discourse discussion, especially the discussion of questions flesh, sinew, and bone. Words change as the surge means far more than that, and far less as well, since of public interest . in any assembly”(OED). No of time and usage flow through them, keeping them it has parameters of place, subject, and intent that matter how semantics or time has cut it, the principle alive, helping them to grow in meaning, exalting separate is from other kinds of “discourse.” Let us of debate does not guarantee polite conversation them to greater significance, or condemning them first pick up the word “discourse” and treat it like any more than it does reason or logic, although to obscurity.
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