Civility is not simply about manners.

The majority of U.S. high school students don't know within 50 years when the Civil War occurred.

Politics has high and low moments. Sometimes it brings out the better angels of our nature; sometimes baser instincts.

If you read literature, you put yourself in somebody else's shoes. You learn from great figures in literature.

Civility is not about dousing strongly held views. It's about making sure that people are willing to respect other perspectives.

There's probably a little greater case for pessimism than optimism. But I do not rule out optimism.

Iraqis have held elections and have recently put together their government, all encouraging developments.