Compassion, Civil Discourse, Intolerance, and Rudeness

By Michael J. Badagliacco, “MJB”

I was pleasantly surprised by two things at the City Council work session on Monday, June 15, 2026. The number of people who attended was great, and a few demonstrated a clear understanding of civil discourse compared with intolerance and rudeness.

Understanding the Terms

Compassion: A deep awareness of the suffering of another accompanied by the wish to relieve it.

Civil discourse: Engagement in conversation intended to enhance understanding.

Intolerance: The refusal to accept particular ideas, beliefs, or behaviors that differ from one’s own.

Rudeness: Being offensive or impolite and showing a lack of respect for others.

Public Support for the DART Program

Public comment began with discussion of the DART program. Many speakers were recipients of grants from the program. They described experiences and how the funding helped them accomplish things they otherwise could not. The vast majority expressed genuine gratitude. This funding comes from the Retail Sales Enhancement, or RSE fund created specifically for grants that help enhance sales through promotion, commercial kitchen assistance, or storefront facades that participating merchants might not afford alone. In my view, this remains a good program that has benefited those who contribute to and access it and allows for Montrose businesses to pool resources to help maintain and beautify Montrose.

The Budget Clerical Error

I remain unsure what some speakers expected. One actually said “they were surprised and expected there to be a different outcome” related to the DART program.  A clerical error occurred in the information sent to department heads after the 2026 budget was approved in September 2025. Did attendees truly believe this was anything more than a simple mistake? Did they believe the newly elected council members were heartless and uncaring or that we planned to end the program?  The council was able to review the documentation, as was the public via the online publication of the information.  It was a clear clerical error that honestly was a non-issue that needed the correction.

The Real Issue: Rudeness Masquerading as Tolerance

Here is the real issue. A segment of our citizenry appears to believe they control the terms when basic civility is absent and civil discourse and tolerance are replaced by rudeness. I have seen this pattern at school board, city council, and county commissioner meetings for the past two years. The very individuals who loudly demand tolerance are often the ones who abandon civil discourse and respect when others hold different views.

I sat and listened, for example, as a crowd at a school board meeting booed and made other disparaging remarks toward an attorney during a presentation. The reaction was not based on the content of the presentation, which was virtually identical to other fact-based presentations. It occurred because some believed the attorney did not share their views. Attempting to belittle others is not civil discourse. It is rude.

Respect for another person’s point of view is the definition of tolerance. We can disagree with those views, but when we disrespect the person holding them, we create an entirely different situation.

A Model of Civil Discourse

I especially appreciated the presentation given by Kevin Williams during the June 15 work session public comments. It was thoughtful, reasoned, and respectful without being rude or condescending, even though it differed from my own perspective. It gave me something worthwhile to consider.

Council Debate Without Disrespect

I always try to do my best to engage in discussion and respect every individual’s point of view. During the same work session, Councilor Reed and I had a spirited debate, yet we did not resort to name-calling, booing, or laughing at the other’s opinion. I cannot say the same for many in the audience. Some behaved rudely, without civility, and acted as though they had never learned respect for others or their points of view.

Choosing Common Ground

I have had many conversations in which I disagreed with the other I was speaking with, but I never laughed at them. I simply stated that on that topic we would need to agree to disagree. At the end of the day, civility and compassion for other points of view are what bring a community together. Differing views will always exist. The way we handle those views creates the environment we either want or do not want to be part of.

Disagreement does not need to bring division. We are all part of the communities where we live. Maybe we need to get out more and perform random acts of kindness. Open a door for someone or offer a smile to a stranger. You just might gain a new friend. Rather than looking for the differences between us, look for the common ground.

While some of us are capable of handling the comments and rude behavior better than others, it is a matter of civility in a time when that has seemed to have escaped our world.  I believe we need to change that.

Just one man’s humble opinion.