Righteous Incivility

Rudeness is normally viewed as a moral failing, but there are times when it is excusable or even justified. John Henry Newman wrote, “A gentleman is someone who never causes another person pain” (to which Oscar Wilde added the word unintentionally). On this I’m with Wilde.

For at times, we may justifiably risk offending or hurting the feelings of another person: in emergencies; promoting long-term benefits; making a statement; in humour; and in teaching or training. The fight to claim equal rights for ethnic minorities, women, and gays would not have got off the ground if people had eschewed any action likely to cause offence. The great sportsmen like Botham and Wilkinson would not have reached the pinnacle without meeting resistance from their lippy coaches.

I am not saying that politeness is unimportant. One should try at all times to be polite and civilised. Manners matter.

What I am saying is that there are valid exceptions.

Those who are oppressed merit the freedom of rudeness, where rudeness is oftentimes less a demonstration of insecurity and more a tilt at the wind. The prisoner at Auschwitz has every right to mock the Lagerkommandant’s ugliness. The Russian soldier – drone fodder – can jest about Putin’s height. The bullied child can pin messages to his bullies’ backs like ‘kick me’ and ‘I stink’ to earn some equity in what is unquestionably an unfair fight. ‘Hitler Has Only Got One Ball’, is a WWII British song, the lyrics of which, sung to the tune of the WW1 era ‘Colonel Bogey March’, impugn the masculinity of Nazi leaders by suggesting they had missing, deformed, or undersized testicles – and why not? Bombs raining down on Londoners merited some insulting singing.

There are gurus and enlightened ones who say retain one’s politeness at all times, turn the other cheek. But I am not of their ilk. They are not of this world. Either they are theorists or their emotional intelligence supersedes reality.

The reality is that when you are attacked you can justly retaliate and it’s unnatural not to. When your freedoms are stolen you have the right – no, the duty – to punch back. French resistance fighters died horrific deaths – not for being polite or for rolling over, but for doing the right thing and for resisting.

I confess that I have been rude of late – from the get-go – to a firm of solicitors (solicitorvists) who eventually let slip how they like to oppress and distress. The Devil has loose lips.

In this instance I am proud of my strength – my inability to roll over for oppressors. I have no regrets. They are a horrible bunch of libertines and dissemblers. I am not a fan of solicitors but at the very least they ought to remain objective. They say my behaviour has been ‘woeful’ – great. If anything I wish I had been far ruder so they could describe my behaviour as ‘appalling’ or ‘dire’.

I had just cause. To hell with them.

Righteous incivility is an acceptable weapon when unfairness abounds.