Political Etiquette 101

Rule 1: Don’t stutter or stammer. It makes you look bad. Take pauses if necessary.

Rule 2: Pause for applause if necessary.

Rule 3: Don’t interrupt another’s speech.

Rule 4: Don’t yell louder than the person you’re debating.

Hmm … which of those rules sounds familiar? Which of those rules has been the hot-button topic recently? Hold on, let me think for a second … Oh, yes! Congressman Joe Wilson (R–SC), come on down! You’re the next contestant on “Do You Know Your Public Speaking Rules?”

If you happened to watch “So You Think You Can Dance” this past Wednesday, you missed out on one of the biggest death stares on national television. Yes, folks, a congressman attempted to shout down the President of the United States while he was giving a speech to a joint session of Congress on health care reform.

First off, I respect the congressman’s First Amendment rights. My only question is, why did he choose to exercise them that way? He could’ve gone and talked to President Obama before or after the speech, problem solved. There would have been no death stare, no booing, no 24/7 news coverage. If only he had a Time-Turner, a DeLorean or a certain blue police box …

Second, this happened in the Capitol Rotunda. Sure, there have been worse things, like the caning of Sumner, but still. You’d expect representatives and senators to have more civility and decency than to yell out during an important speech. When someone is speaking, you let them finish before injecting your opinion. If something like to this occurred in a high school or college lecture, the offender would probably be kicked out of the class or given detention.

Third, Congressman Wilson was wrong. There is absolutely nothing in the proposed health care bill that says anything about providing for illegal residents of the United States. What ever happened to using a fact checker?

So, congressman (and all prospective congressmen and congresswomen), remember these pointers. Don’t yell out during a speech. Find an appropriate time to discuss your opinion. And please, for the love of God, check your facts!

Oh, and I almost forgot Rule 5. You don’t talk about Fight Club.