What is going on in this world and where is Miss Manners?

In the last seven days, bad behavior has dominated events across the country.

First, we had had Republican Rep. Joe Wilson of South Carolina shouting down the President of the United States during the president’s address to the joint houses of Congress. It was an unprecedented action… calling the president a liar in a setting like that. What happened to civility and an open, frank, respectful debate on the ideas and problems facing our country?

Then tennis champion Serena Williams came unhinged during her final match of the US Open. She shouted down a line judge with language better reserved for a frat house than national television. Where did sportsmanship go?

Michael Jordan went on a bit of a tangent during his speech during his induction into the NBA Hall of Fame. Rather than being humble, he listed all those who said he would never succeed in remarks that more confrontational than gracious. Is it really necessary for one of the greatest athletes of all time to prove himself once more?

Finally, we have Kanye West at Sunday night’s MTV Music Video Awards Show. While Taylor Swift was accepting her award, West jumped on stage, grabbed the mic, and announced that Beyonce had a better video and was more deserving of the award. What happened to chivalry?

Even last weekend’s Tea Party march on Washington DC to protest government spending and health care reform had moments of tastelessness. Some in the crowd held posters saying “Bury Obama-Care with Kennedy.” Other signs called President Obama the “Parasite in Chief” and compared him to Adolf Hitler. On the whole, the event was peaceful, but the few bad apples generally do stand out. Why can’t people express their differences without being mean-spirited?

So there we have it, a week in time when so much good could have happened, and most of it was overshadowed by the rude, unnecessary actions of a few.

And why are these people so angry? I could understand outbursts like that from a parent coping with a drunk driver killing their son or daughter, or a father laid off from his job, or someone with a serious medical condition suffering without health insurance, or a daughter who just lost her father while he was serving in Afghanistan.

But, really, what has Michael Jordan so riled up? Serena Williams has played superb tennis all year, so why all the rage? The same questions for Joe and Kanye… what gives?

And, the settings don’t help: a major tennis tournament, a hall of fame induction, a State of the Union-esque address, and a national awards show.

If these individuals aren’t embarrassed, they should be. Disagreements are fine and a bedrock of our country is freedom of speech. But, can’t we do it with a little more civility? Geez.

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