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Local Voices
Etiquette Expert

Public Civility

A few days ago, I was leaving the grocery store and a man in his 20s crossed my path and decided to spit right then and there. A nice big wad from his mouth. I just stopped there in shock, my mind was racing with so many thoughts.

Yesterday, I was shopping in a national family chain store, I looked up from the clothes rack to see a man in his 30s looking through the same clothes rack. His pants were so far down his body and his underwear clinging to his behind that once again I was in shock. My mind racing with so many thoughts. 

One more story: at the checkout, the woman behind me was wearing a shirt that was so loose and low, I wasn’t sure where to look. Should I look at her bra that I could see at her side or the bra and exposed chest? I tried to just look at her face, where the attention should be given, but once again I was in shock, my mind racing with so many thoughts.

Between the lack of civility on the streets to the lack of dress civility in public, I find myself in shock. As I try to wrap my head around these behaviors, I just ask myself, what would make a person think they can do these behaviors in public and right in front of others? What would make someone think it is acceptable to dress this way in public?

As fast as these behaviors came to be, we must work that much harder to stomp them out, bring back public civility. It is up to us to take a stand and teach our family and friends of do’s and don’ts of what is acceptable in public. I thank you for helping me! Always be the better person.

Joe Smith

11:10 am on Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Read Stephen Carter's book Civility and then write a series about the points it raises. Not the easiest read in the world but it has a lot of great ideas.

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Nikki Ferrell

1:13 pm on Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Some of these behaviors bother me, too! I've seen someone spit INSIDE a retail store once. I think the biggest piece of manners is respect - don't do something you wouldn't want someone else to do in front of you.

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Ed Fisher

5:56 pm on Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Yes. Respect. So often lacking these days. Lack of respect for others, and lack of self respect. We all see these abhorrent behaviors. But what to do about it ? Sometimes you just want to yell WTF is wrong with you ?? Are you an idiot, or just ignorant of any social graces ? Who knows ? It's just the world we live in, I guess.

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