Oscar stage assault like national leadership scene

Congratulations to Steve Pollock for beautifully connecting Will Smith's Oscar assault to a disconcerting national issue in his recently published Marin Voice commentary (“Audience-performer relationship just changed forever,” April 9). Smith's explosion of violence didn't happen in a vacuum.

The stage for violating civil norms has been set by leaders whose actions give permission for all of us to see issues as opportunities for aggression and attack.

Sadly, when leaders transform Supreme Court confirmation hearings and the 2020 presidential elections, as well as discussions about the pandemic and immigration, from rational debates and problem-solving into opportunities for grandstanding, misinformation and fear-mongering, they encourage the behavior from the rest of us.

Though these national issues may not affect our personal daily lives here in Marin, unhinged irrational attacks by national elected leaders unfortunately encourages similar local behavior. I was recently appointed to the community advisory group on the South Eliseo Drive homeless housing project. I look forward to supporting understanding, trust and consensus, through a decidedly non-adversarial approach.

Pollock wrote, “the emergence of an uncivil audience is most troubling to me. It speaks volumes about the conflict latent in our midst.” Exactly.

Pointing fingers at Smith is all too easy. Underneath our thin veneer of reason and social norms lies millions of years of raw animal evolution. Let's recognize but (not yield to) our alltoo-human jump to fear, defensiveness and anger. It's tempting to follow when national leaders rally our raw emotions, undermining community and problem-solving for their personal political gains.

Though they may set a stage for conflict, we do not need to walk on.

— Barry Phegan, Greenbrae