Civility is an American trait

Civility is an American trait

The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., once said in a speech “we are as Americans prone to judge success by the index of our salaries or the size our house or automobiles, rather by the quality of service and relationship to humanity.”

As an American citizen and voter, I truly believe that in this the 21st century and 40 years after Dr. King’s death that some of our fellow Americans have truly lost their sense of humanity and common decency when it comes to respecting each other, as well as respecting the title and office of the U.S. president. This seems to apply especially to our first black president, Barack H. Obama.

I ask my fellow Americans — Republicans, Independents and Democrats of every race, creed, color, religion, sex, and economic status — where are the voices of reason, respect, love, humanity and common decency among us? We should speak out when some of our fellow Americans disrespect and harass President Obama with the birth certificate, the shout, the finger, etc..

I believe that though my fellow Americans may on occasion disagree, we must not lose our humanity and common decency for each other, our president, or our great country, now or in the future.

Willie James Richards, Youngstown