I recently attended a memorial gathering honoring the late Jack Webb.

It was a testimonial to the man Jack was, by the number of people who spoke and what they shared. Two common threads running through all the reminiscences was his humor and his graciousness.

Anyone who knew Jack knows he and I were political opposites. Yet, that never stopped us from exchanging the common courtesies of hello, how are you and listening to the other respectfully even when we disagreed. It is one reason why I was happy to support him in his bid for fire commissioner.

In fact, Jack was one of several people who stepped forward to reclaim our fire district from a majority board run amok. He, along with the others, had no problem leaving partisan politics aside in order to put forth candidates who truly believed in serving their community.

This group was so focused on that, that all the candidates put up each other’s yard signs, even those belonging to their opponent, in order to make sure that the incumbents did not make it through the primary.

That approach worked 100 percent – people knew that whoever won in the general would be someone who would put the fire district first. Jack won his race and obviously did a great job as evidenced by the things said at the memorial.

I mention all this because I wish there were more people like Jack – his kind seem to be disappearing from our civic life. The art of being civil, being able to disagree without being disagreeable (to quote Jim Martin, another political opposite from me), seems to be a trait that is losing value in our civic life.

For the last several weeks, we have been witness to abhorrent behavior by people wishing to highjack the health care debate.

People are heckling and shouting down, not just the congressional speaker, but also their fellow citizens. People are wearing sidearms, ostensibly to demonstrate they can, but since when has anyone needed a weapon to speak in a public forum in our country?

They are also seen carrying signs saying, “The tree of liberty must be refreshed…” conveniently leaving out the rest of Thomas Jefferson’s statement that continues with “from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.” Clearly, the art of intimidation has taken over.

This country has learned its lessons well, thanks to the tutelage by our leaders. The last couple of decades, people in top positions have had no problem demonizing their opposition. During the Bush reign, if one didn’t agree with the administration’s position on Iraq, one was a traitor, giving aid and comfort to the enemy. Under former Speaker of the House, Newt Gingrich, the term “liberal” truly became a pejorative which then led to a reaction to having the term “conservative” become one as well.

This is not civil discourse. This is not even debate. This is bullying, relying on one being able to throw their weight around, either figuratively or literally, to make their point. It is disgraceful behavior.

There will be two local opportunities for Kitsap citizens to attend a health care forum. The first one is tomorrow, Saturday, August 29 at 11:30 am-1 pm at North Kitsap High School in Poulsbo, either in the gym or the commons. It will be led by Congressman Jay Inslee. The next one is on Monday, Aug. 31, from 7:30-9 p.m. at the Kitsap Conference Center in Bremerton. Congressman Norm Dicks will lead that one.

It would be nice to go and actually be informed. It will serve no purpose if people just rant. The sad thing is we can no longer count on the former because the latter has become the more prevalent trend for public discourse. That is sad.

Even George Washington, in a March 15, 1783 address to his officers, knew the value of dissension: “If men are to be precluded from offering their sentiments on a matter which may involve the most serious and alarming consequences that can invite the consideration of mankind, reason is of no use to us; the freedom of speech may be taken away, and dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep to the slaughter.”

And he was talking about conducting war. Can we not manage to be civil among ourselves in a debate on health care?