In the context of democratic debate, civility is about how people treat each other. Civility involves the display of respect for those who have positions with which one disagrees.

Even though disagreement plays a necessary role in governance and politics, the issue is how one expresses that disagreement.  The two pieces at right offer thoughts. 

The first link combines the two Everyday Ethics columns that the Institute produced in 2003 on this topic.

The second is a 2011 tipsheet produced for a local agency workshop on effective meeting practices.

Comments and suggestions welcome on either.