Golden Rule could cure a lot that ails US – Sedalia Democrat

The Golden Rule has been chucked into a Dumpster in favor of aggressive and abominable words and deeds.

The past week has seen an avalanche of awful behavior go viral online, and it leaves me to wonder how much is happening that doesnt gain traction in news feeds and on social media.

A 22-year-old man in West Chester, Pa. faces a charge of simple assault. He is accused of punching a man with cerebral palsy square in the face after the suspect was seen mocking the way the victim walked. The whole episode was captured on surveillance cameras at the convenience store where the incident took place.

The video is a jarring display of senseless violence. After the victim comes out of the store, the suspect walks past the victim, turns abruptly then pounds the victim with a straight right to the face. Its truly awful.

In a couple of other incidents, teachers embarrassed their students and themselves at end-of-the-year awards ceremonies. In Texas, as reported by the Washington Post, a student who has been in the honors program for two years and has never been a discipline problem was given a Most Likely to Become a Terrorist award. Lizeth Villanueva, 13, said her teacher just laughed when she signed and handed her the certificate, just one day after the Manchester arena terrorist attack in Britain, the Post reported. Other awards the teachers gave out: most likely to cry for every little thing and most likely to become homeless.

At a Georgia middle school, two teachers will not be returning to their district after they gave a student with ADHD a most likely to not pay attention trophy, as reported by WSVN-TV. The students mother told the TV station that the award originally read most likely to ask a question that has already been answered, but was changed to something equally awful. This was presented to the student during a school assembly.

Then there is the case of the politician who body-slammed a reporter who asked him a relevant question about a campaign issue. The New York Times reported: After Greg Gianforte, the Republican House candidate in Montana, was charged with assaulting a reporter for The Guardian on the eve of Thursdays special election, public reaction ranged from rank disgust on the left to mild chastening, and amused mockery, from many on the right. Conservative commentators Rush Limbaugh and Laura Ingraham piled onto the reporter, Ben Jacobs, with Limbaugh calling Jacobs insolent and disrespectful.

Thankfully, the Times did find a public official voice of reason in Rep. Mark Sanford, R-S.C., who told the paper that he sees a correlation between the Montana incident and what Sanford called an erosion of American civic life.

Some demons have been unleashed, Sanford told the Times, which I think are threatening to those who believe in free speech and free governance.

Assaulting people with disabilities. Mocking students in front of their peers in lame attempts at humor. Physically attacking media members for asking questions about an issue of concern for voters. We can and should demand better of ourselves, our community members and our elected officials. It starts with sneering dismissal of those on the other side of the political aisle from you as snowflakes because they dare to question your sides motives, and escalates to public humiliation and physical altercations because your self-worth is tied up too much in feeling superior to others.

We are better than this. We need to be so much better than this. Treat others as you would have them treat you. The Golden Rule its a simple solution for a too-caustic world.

Bob Satnan is the communications director for Sedalia School District 200.

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Golden Rule could cure a lot that ails US - Sedalia Democrat