ABSTRACT
Insistence on civility can sound naïve or even treasonous in the midst of pitched political battle, but those championing civil discourse can defend this principle by reference to history. In 1941, a prominent Quaker intellectual explained why even those fighting the Nazis might do well to tolerate principled pacifists, just as Lincoln had done during the American Civil War. This chapter applies this argument to the modern context to show how civil restraint, when coupled with positive action that engages the public in deliberation and debate, warrants the respect even of the most committed partisans.
