EDITORIAL ; THE DEATH OF CIVILITY

There have always been fringe lunatics, people who are so far gone into the extremes that they cannot find the center. But back then it was over the usual stuff, politics, ethnicity, sports, the economy.
Back then, you would found people who disagree vehemently on politics agree wholeheartedly on sports, sometimes the lines became blurred as you find yourself shifting ground on politics simply the guy is a rabid fan of the club you support.

Once in a while, things will get out of hand, and tempers would flare, an innocuous comment, a tasteless joke, an ethnic , gender or religious jab, which on most days could, on a bad day, develop wings and got blown out of proportion, sometimes destroying a friendship of many years, or a budding friendship killed off in the heat of such moments.
It is not a one way thing. Most of us had given, and received, maybe not in equal proportion, the trigger that led to such consequences.
But, in most cases, it is a rare occurence, most people are socially savvy enough to put these things in their proper context, and move on with minimal damage to their relationship.
But with the advent of the social media, and the anonymity it conveys, every cat is now a lion, and every character now uses the platform not only to malign others, in some occasion also to destroy reputations.
To be fair, there are groups, like the Nigerian Nostalgic Project, whose admins have a very low tolerance for irresponsible behavior, including gutter language and distortion of historical facts, but generally the level of conversation, and the time honoured code of mutual respect and decorum had gone south.
I agree these are trying times, and people must eke out a living, but if they sent you on an errand like a slave, why not deliver it as a freeborn? If there is a need, and there usually is, to disagree vehemently,cant we write with refinement and some level of class?, can't we have a discussion without resorting to personal abuse and uncouth language? If you don't agree with me, must you label me?Must you put juvenile pictures unto threads just to show you disagree, why not do what most mature people do, roll your eyes, shake your head and move on to the next post?
I have consistently hit out on things that in my opinion, are wrong with the system, and with leadership at all levels, I have criticized Buhari, Obasanjo, Tinubu, ditto for Fashola , local government chairmen in Oshodi because I am a stakeholder, ifako ijaiye because I live there.
I have written about Oyo, ogun, ondo, osun , ekiti,edo, delta, bayelsa and rivers, yet I have personal friends at cabinet level in those states, and they have never labeled me as pro this or anti that.
For the record, no amount of abuse, intimidation and childish pranks would deter me from asking questions of this president and this government. And I would continue to back it with facts, especially on his economic policies, and how he uses, or misuses the mandate given to him four years ago, after promising heaven on earth.
After all, nobody forced him to take the job, and I reserve the right, as a shareholder, to ask how he is spending our commonwealth, and I don't need a label, or a party affiliation, to exercise my constitutional right.
My ten kobo.