I was talking to a Macalester professor a few weeks ago when he noted Macalester has a problem with civility. Wholeheartedly agreeing, I later discovered we were definitely not on the same page. I believe Macalester is suffering from civility, not a lack of it. For those of you cringing, allow me to clarify. Civility is saying something mean in a nice way.
Civility is hurtful speech veiled with polite overtones.
That should not be our mission. We should have respect for each other but we also need to respect our own beliefs. We need to challenge each other. It may be due to testosterone or my upbringing, but I love a good argument. And a good argument is rarely civil.