It is not some casual idea, some little word to which we make a brief bow before rushing off to fractious debate. It is an end in itself. Civility has deep roots in the idea of respect for the individual. We are civil to each other because we respect one another's human aspirations and equal standing in a democratic society. We must restore civility to every part of our legal system and public discourse.
Civility defines our common cause in advancing the rule of law.
Our honest and decent citizens must be persuaded to devote themselves to public life, but they will be reluctant to do so if our discourse is not marked by civility. Furthermore, if our own best people do not admire our discourse, neither will the people of other nations, the people who cry out for those principles which are the basis for common beliefs, principles vindicating the rule of law in their own societies. Civility does not mean a lawyer's arguments must be lacking in force, nor does it overlook the vital role played by the lawyer or the citizen who must raise his or her voice to protest injustice. The idea of protest is essential in our legal tradition. Protest often contains a plea society would rather not hear, but that does not mean it lacks civility.