The Braley Blog

“Pete’s Daily Connection”

When Did It Become Acceptable To Be So Rude?

It’s everywhere. You can’t escape it. People are rude. And they seem proud of it! When did this become a thing?

There were a few different situations this week that caught my eye or occupied space in my brain so I thought I would explore this topic. Some family members have either had issues at work or there were things I noticed in the news. Of course, if you’re looking for rude people in this world all you have to do is go on social media. I guess it’s easier to go “viral” by being a jacka** so why not go for it? Who cares about decency if you can get clicks?

In one situation this week, my wife was telling me about something that happened at work. She’s a paramedic and they were transporting a patient to the hospital with lights and sirens going. They were on a two lane roadway near Boston and everyone had pulled over to the right and she was traveling down the left lane. That’s when she noticed a guy, over to the right, who was hanging out his window screaming at the ambulance and “flippin’ the fing-uh!” I guess he was a bit inconvenienced?

I have to ask: What did he expect them to do? Someone needs to get to the hospital so you need to give way. I wonder how he would feel if that was his mother, grandmother, or if that was him? Was he late for work? Whose fault is that? The ambulance? Do you think you could have left a little earlier? Maybe they were just loud and his favorite song was on the radio.

Then there was the Congressional hearing in Washington Thursday night.

The hearing was supposed to be about Attorney General Merrick Garland but it quickly turned into something else. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York and Dallas Rep. Jasmine Crockett got into a back-and-forth that was, in my opinion, anything but professional.

During Thursday night’s hearing in the House Oversight Committee, Rep. Crockett asked Rep. Greene: “Do you know what we are here for?” To which Rep. Greene responded, “I don’t think you know what you are here for … I think your fake eyelashes are messing up what you’re reading.” As some of the other members of Congress reacted, Rep. Ocasio-Cortez said, “That is absolutely unacceptable. How dare you attack the physical appearance of another person? Move her words down.” Rep. Greene then asked Rep. Ocasio-Cortez, “Are your feelings hurt?” To which Rep. Ocasio-Cortez responded, “Girl. Baby girl, don’t even play.”

Oh but wait, there’s more.

A few minutes later, Rep. Crockett apparently wanted to know what comments were appropriate for the hearing so she asked the committee chairman, “I’m just curious, if someone on this committee then starts talking about somebody’s bleach-blonde bad-built butch body, that would not be engaging in personalities, correct?”

And no, I’m not making this up! This was in a United States Congress House Oversight Committee hearing.

When did this become acceptable behavior?

Now I’m not taking sides here. None of this, “Well she started it!” I say they are both wrong. My momma taught me that two wrongs don’t make a right.

I have to seriously ask, “Will we ever go back to being decent with each other?” If we don’t see any decency from our, so-called, leaders…. where will it come from? Have you noticed that when there’s a story or video about somebody being a decent, caring human being it gets treated like…“LOOK AT THIS! ISN’T IT AMAZING?” I remember a time when it was normal for people to be nice. Now it’s the exception.

You see it everywhere. People are rude in restaurants, in traffic, at school board meetings, at Little League baseball games. And, of course, online. I still haven’t decided if social media has been a good thing or bad. It’s been good in some ways as we can reconnect with people from our past. We also now have access to so much information (whether real or fake), but it has also given everyone a platform to share their views no matter how ugly or rude they may be.

I get it. It ain’t easy trying to get ahead or just trying to get by. There is so much division and mistrust today.

So what’s the answer?

I’m not going to pretend that I know but I do have two thoughts and I have to fall back on the way I was raised. Sometimes it’s all I’ve got.

First there’s the Golden Rule.

“Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” And don’t give me a “Yeah but…..” No. Treat people the way you would like to be treated. If the server gets your order wrong in the restaurant, how would you want to be approached if that were you? Maybe try to be decent. If the ambulance makes you pull over on your way to work in the morning, maybe be thankful that it’s not you that needed the help. Let the professionals take care of that person. You’ll be on your way again soon.

And my other thought? While it’s true that I can’t change the world and make everything right I can do something about what’s right in front of me. I’m reminded of that song “Let There Be Peace On Earth” that was written by Jill Jackson-Miller and Sy Miller.

Let there be peace on earth
And let it begin with me
Let There Be Peace on Earth
The peace that was meant to be

I think I’ll just try and control what I can and maybe only share the nice stories I find.


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4 responses to “When Did It Become Acceptable To Be So Rude?”

  1. Roland Avatar
    Roland

    Spot on Brother!!

    Too true! The good thing is our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ died on the cross for our sins, and those who believe in him have their sins washed away and have ever lasting life! As he said in the Gospel of Matthew Chapter 7 verses 12-14 that you quoted: 12. So, whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets. 13. Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. 14. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and these who find it are few.

    Keep on keeping on Bro!

  2. Diane Hahn Avatar
    Diane Hahn

    My first thought about the Congressional hearing incident is that, because it transpired with three women, It garnered waaaay more attention than the other dozens of episodes that likely happened that day between men. People in general which includes the media love a good “Cat Fight”. I have no reservations in choosing a side: AOC has my full support in anything that she says or does. MTG needs to slide back under the slimy rock where she resided until 2016. I know it sounds like I’m just focusing on the political part but I truly believe that the era ushered in in 2016 was the turning point of decency in our communities. Meanwhile everyday I make it a point to recognize the good that I see rather than the bad. For every one rude incident I see a dozen more that contradict it.

  3. Peg Britton Avatar
    Peg Britton

    Oh wow Pete !!
    Like I wrote in before, decency seems to be gone and many younger kids nowadays are acting and talking the way their parents are … …It is very prevalent here in Florida …the culture here has completely changed since we moved here 20 years ago and yes, we see the same thing with an ambulance here…some dont move over ! and how our political leaders act and talk is shameful .. and yes , My husband and I continue to hold doors for others and pull over for the rescue and fire trucks and help our neighbors when necessary. I just hope society can reverse itself to a much safer and nicer time ..

  4. Rachel G Thomas Avatar
    Rachel G Thomas

    The first example I can recall, of not just public but nationally televised appalling behavior was 2017, when Rep. Joe Willson yelled, “YOU LIE!” as President Obama was addressing Congress.
    That simply wasn’t done. And now it’s just a horrorshow of behavior by alleged grownups who have the nerve to tell teachers what to teach?!
    I refuse to play along.
    I hate that so many people see kindness and civility as weakness.
    That’s their problem.
    I’ll be holding doors, pulling over for Priscilla and her hero colleagues, and smiling at people on the street.

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