By David W. Marshall
(Trice Edney Wire) – The Institute for Civility is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that promotes civility in government, workplaces, and schools. Its definition of civility is “claiming and caring for one’s identity, needs, and beliefs without degrading someone else’s in the process.” It clearly defines the respect, politeness, tolerance, and courtesy we must have for one another.
As we enter a new year in 2025, we have already witnessed how our polarized society continues to find new ways to reject the tradition of civility. Following the death of former President Jimmy Carter, President Joe Biden announced immediately that all flags would be flown at half-staff at the White House and on all public buildings and grounds as well as all military posts, Naval stations, and Naval vessels. State flags would also be lowered. Under the U.S. flag code, private citizens and businesses are expected to follow the protocol of lowering to half-staff any U.S. flag displayed on a vertical pole. The order from President Biden, including the 30 days of mourning, is based on a proclamation issued by President Dwight Eisenhower in 1954. The declaration is meant to be nonpartisan out of respect for the highest office in our government, regardless of the individual who occupies the office.
Monday, Jan. 20, 2025, will be a unique day where three men will be celebrated in different ways. Due to the mourning period for the late president, flags will still be at half-staff on Inauguration Day when President-elect Donald Trump is sworn into office. Jan. 20 is also the federal holiday recognizing Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. In a social media post, Trump wrote that “because of the death of President Jimmy Carter, the flag may, for the first time ever during an Inauguration of a future President, be at half-mast. Nobody wants to see this, and no American can be happy about it. Let’s see how it plays out.” Trump, of course, was speaking for himself and his MAGA supporters.
As we have grown to understand, this type of response will be a regular occurrence during the Trump presidency; the disappointing remarks are degrading to Carter as a former president and his life’s humanitarian work. Trump’s words are hard to ignore and impossible to accept. His response is disrespectful and insulting to Carter, his family, and all Americans touched by Carter’s kindness and dignity. Trump is in the position to reset the moral tone of the nation when his energized and motivated supporters take his uncivil rhetoric and put it into uncivil action.
Out of political allegiance to Trump, the Republican official overseeing Nassau County on New York’s Long Island refused to lower county flags in memory of the late president. Democratic county legislator Seth Koslow told CBS News New York that honoring a former president should transcend partisan politics, calling the decision an embarrassment to Nassau County. “Politics shouldn’t play into this right now. This should be about what’s right for a person who represented our country, who guided our country and then served our country when they were done as president, and it’s the right thing to do,” Koslow said.
As people pushed back, Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman eventually reversed his position by releasing a statement saying flags would be lowered at county-operated buildings while Carter lies in state through to his burial. That is only three days—from Jan. 7 to Jan. 9—without including the Jan. 20th Inauguration Day. Although the current proclamation is expected to remain in effect for its designated period, Trump will have the authority to adjust flag protocols upon taking office. As civility decreases, rudeness, arrogance, and disrespect will permanently take its place if we are not careful.
Dr. Martin Luther King, like President Jimmy Carter, was a Nobel Peace Prize recipient and was an agent of peace, equality, and racial reconciliation during a turbulent time in America’s history. We still need men and women to be similar advocates in 2025 and the future. They must push back and counter the agents of division and injustice who will be in various positions of power after Inauguration Day. While Jan. 20 will be a day of transition for political leadership, we cannot forget what Dr. King stood for and why it was important for every generation to learn and carry out his teachings. Therefore, every day needs to be a Martin Luther King Day of awareness, duty, and engagement.
Elected officials like Bruce Blakeman and their willingness to quickly dismiss normal civility for political purposes remind us why we must not forget Dr. King’s message and continue to carry it out. Every day should be MLK Day because business leaders from companies such as McDonald’s, Walmart, John Deere, and Harley-Davidson have succumbed to the backlash and retribution from conservative movements. Conservative efforts to discredit and end DEI efforts and programs are driven by the belief that only minorities benefit from those programs. Dr. King taught us that equality (racial, class, or gender) cannot be achieved without radical structural changes in our society. This is a daily fight that we are losing with setbacks in corporate America.
According to research by the consulting firm McKinsey, white women hold nearly 19% of all C-suite positions, while racial and ethnic minority women only hold 4 percent. Overall, white women have benefited disproportionally from corporate DEI, and yet many of them continue to join the fight to end it.
David W. Marshall founded the faith-based organization TRB: The Reconciled Body and is the author of the book God Bless Our Divided America.
Source: Seattle Medium
