This post is part of an ongoing series that highlights discourse about civility online. We glean the articles for civility linkblogging from a broad cross-section of blogs, newspapers, and magazines, from the United States and abroad.

This week, our linkblogging segment is embedded with questions of demeaning language, gay rights, and gay marriage across three states: Michigan, Indiana, and Utah. In all three, amid heated words about who counts as a member of those communities, prominent citizens are standing up to insist on respect. In the latter two, we see civil words about the essentialness of civility from speakers on college campuses. While in the former, it is Republican Governor Rick Scott who, in his State of the State address, called for a greater degree of civility and respect to others of different backgrounds and different views.

If you have an article that you think would be right for future civility linkblogging posts, please do not hesitate to email it to us at editor@instituteforcivility.org. Include the title, url, and a short summary, and we will gladly review it for publication.

Now — the list:

Ex-Giant Martin Tackles Gridiron Civility
Posted by Rich DePreta at The Stamford Advocate, January 14, 2014

One might believe there isn’t much to say about “Civility on the Gridiron.”

Former New York Giants defensive end George Martin, however, would beg to differ.

“The shaking of hands before the coin toss. The sizable rules of the game or rules of engagement. The equipment worn by both sides. Not hitting players above the neckline without penalty,” Martin said. “Those are all acts of civility.

Citizenry Can Lead Congress Back to Civility
Posted by Pat Williams at The Bozeman Daily Chronicle, January 15, 2014

America has many problems: unemployment, education, environment, poverty, war; but watching the Congress’ lack of accomplishment, civility, and compromise one might have the thought that all is well across this land. In these difficult and dangerous times, we should not abide our broken legislative mainspring, rather we ought to be looking very closely to determine what has gone wrong and fix it.

In our relatively well-designed legislative system, the entire difficulty can’t lie only with those who represent us. We need to examine not only Capitol Hill but also ourselves. Are we, as citizens, attentive to our governmental system? Perhaps not, when 70 percent of Americans don’t even vote on Election Day.

Did Gov. Rick Snyder Reference Dave Agema in His State of the State Speech?
Posted by Brian Smith at MLive.com, January 16, 2014

Gov. Rick Snyder called on Michigan residents to avoid “derogatory” and “negative” comments in an apparent rebuke of controversial comments made by Dave Agema, a Michigan Republican National Committeeman.

“In recent days and recent months in the state of Michigan, we’ve had people make comments that were derogatory, that were negative towards other people,” Snyder said. “Publicly tonight, I’d like to make a call to all citizens of Michigan to ask us have a greater degree of civility and respect to others of different backgrounds and different views.”

Civility is Possible Even in Gay Marriage Debate
Posted by Russ Pulliam at The Indianapolis Star, January 17, 2014

John Krull is pursuing an American tradition that gets fewer headlines than the fireworks that come with big social issue debates. When ideological opponents do the hard work of personal friendship, they usually don’t make news. They don’t walk out on each other and halt legislative sessions. They don’t call each other names. They don’t lead a nation or state to the brink of bankruptcy over tactical disputes. They tend to head off the conflicts that create the dramatic news stories. But they can learn the names of one another’s children or play basketball together or go into a triathlon as teammates.

They do not make news with these efforts, but they do resolve many personality problems behind the scenes.

LGBT Leader Promotes Message of Civility
Posted by Whitney Evans at The Desert News, January 21, 2014

Kate Kendell was invited to speak by the college’s LGBT-focused student group, OutLaws, sponsors of the presentation. She encouraged those in attendance to be civil to those with whom they disagree:

“Your part of seeing to it that this ends the way we know it’s going to sooner rather than later is that you engage them. You have a conversation — no matter how threatening it is.”