By Roland S. Martin, CNN Political Contributor
January 15, 2011 11:14 a.m. EST
(CNN) -- The conventional wisdom in the wake of the emotional and impressive memorial service for those killed in Tucson at the hands of a deranged gunman is that despite pleas for civility, we will return to the pre-shooting days of yelling, screaming and highly-charged partisanship.
In his speech to the nation, President Obama, acting as the healer-in-chief, called on all Americans to rise above the nonsense of making politics a rhetorical blood sport and have a civil debate on the issues.
"I believe we can be better. Those who died here, those who saved lives here -- they help me believe," Obama said. "We may not be able to stop all evil in the world, but I know that how we treat one another is entirely up to us. I believe that for all our imperfections, we are full of decency and goodness, and that the forces that divide us are not as strong as those that unite us."
The knee-jerk reaction from many in the call for civility is to say that the First Amendment gives them the right to say what they want, when they want. But freedom of speech also gives all of us the right to say no, you're not going to talk to me that way, and we can probe and debate, yet do so without all the rancor and bitterness.
more at:
http://www.cnn.com/2011/OPINION/01/15/martin.rhetoric/