Indiana Leaders Discuss Civility In American Politics

EVANSVILLE -- This year’s presidential race has been in the national spotlight with candidates being criticized for their extreme political behavior towards one another.

Former Sen. Richard Lugar and former Congressman Lee Hamilton took to the stage Wednesday at the University of Southern Indiana to discuss “Civility in American Politics.”

While the discussion was only an hour long, most seats in the room were filled with people wanting answers for the political behavior that has been seen during the 2016 presidential race.

“As young voters, this is the first time we can vote and this is the kind of presidential race we’re being exposed to, so it’s really interesting to see their side,” said Evan Eagleson, a political science student at the University of Southern Indiana.

Shedding some light onto what Evan and others are wanting to understand, Hamilton touched on political civility and the challenges that arise.

“The test of civility is, of course, how you treat people you don’t like. But I think that it’s important to recognize that our system demands robust debate,” Hamilton said. “Now, I understand there’s a line here, it can get out of hand, and it’s not easy to draw that line. Sometimes it becomes very uncivil and very disappointing to all of us. But keep in mind that robust debate is very much a part of the American system.”

While the event may have ended, this discussion is far from over as people continued talking about civility in politics on their way out the door.