The Case for Civility: And Why Our Future Depends on It

"How do we live with our deepest differences, especially when those differences are religious and ideological?" The place to begin to search for answers is the United States. Not because the problem is worse here than elsewhere--on the contrary--but ... Read more

"How do we live with our deepest differences, especially when those differences are religious and ideological?" The place to begin to search for answers is the United States. Not because the problem is worse here than elsewhere--on the contrary--but because America has the best resources, and therefore the greatest responsibility to point the way in answering the deepest questions. The Case For Civility is a proposal for restoring civility in America, as one model for fostering civility around the world and helping to make a world safe for diversity.
Guinness makes a passionate plea to put an end to the culture wars that--rather than creating a public space for real debate--threaten to reverse the very principles our founders set into motion that have long preserved liberty, diversity, and unity in this country. Guinness argues that we must:
-Say "No!" to the sacred public square-we cannot privilege one religion over another; the Christian Right has it wrong
-Say "No!" to the naked public square-public expressions of faith must remain legal; intolerance in the name of tolerance by the secular left is equally wrongheaded
The world is watching how Americans behave and, in the eyes of the world, we are failing to live up to our own ideals. Rich with historical anecdotes that unlock the genius of the American experiment, Guinness also takes on the contemporary threat of both the religious right and the secular left to construct a new way forward in the midst of the buildup to the Fall 2008 presidential elections. Less