United States Deputy Attorney General Jamie Gorelick last night criticized the growing extremism of the political debates in which government officials and the general population engage in a speech last night.
Gorelick discussed "Political Rhetoric and Public Perception," with about 65 students and faculty in Collis Commonground.
She said extreme rhetoric "dehumanizes and demonizes" the opposition rather than "illuminate[s] the issues."
An ideal political debate is one in which people with opposing ideas can freely and equally discuss prevalent issues in a climate of respect "using democracy as a process to work together" to find solutions, she said.
She said while Americans have the right to speak freely, with that right comes responsibility.
Gorelick said the extremism of political debates both in the United States and internationally can sometimes lead people to carry out extreme actions .
For example, she said, the assassination of Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin stemmed in part from the hateful rhetoric of the opposition. Rabin's opponents chose to foster hatred against him rather than respect his differing opinions, she said.
Gorelick said civil discourse has broken down when people spread hateful rhetoric.
"Violence can flourish in this climate of dehumanizing rhetoric," she said.
Gorelik said she has seen the consequences of hateful speech in America in her capacity as Deputy Attorney General.
The Oklahoma City bombing, attacks on abortion clinics and racially-motivated hate crimes are examples of the harm hateful rhetoric has recently caused in the nation, she said.
Gorelick also discussed her generation's growing cynicism toward politics as it related to the events surrounding Watergate and the Vietnam War.
If people mistrust politicians and "don't see how voting can affect their lives for the better," then they are less likely to take an active interest in politics, she said.
But Gorelick said everyone must work together to find solutions and should not hide from problems as many of her generation did.
"It depends on our own leadership," she said.
Gorelick said she, too, has experienced a temptation to turn inward but said "our civilization can't withstand that level of neglect. We can't afford to do that."
She said people who isolate themselves from the world's problems "lack the fulfillment of trying to make [their] community a better place."
Gorelick said the act of communication contains elements to promote violent discourse.
In the last decade the development of the Internet and the widespread use of e-mail has "increased the chance of misinformation to travel," she said.
And misinformation leads to misunderstandings, she said, which can lead to hateful rhetoric.
Following her speech, Gorelick answered questions from students and faculty on topics ranging from legalization of drugs to the leadership of U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno during the Waco standoff.
