FlaLaw » 2001 » January » 22

Moffat: Incivility may indicate societal decline

wsmitty@ufl.edu — Mon, 22 Jan 2001 18:20:56 +0000

In modern society, incivility is everywhere — from our children’s classrooms to the recent presidential election to the mall parking lot. According to law and philosophy Professor Robert C. L. Moffat, incivility’s pervasiveness, and its escalating repercussions, are strong signs our communal and societal bonds are breaking down. “Civility is an important indicator of the health of a society,” says Moffat. “Incivility, by the same token, indicates societal decline. Taken far enough, it means nothing less than the destruction of society.” Bullies, raging political parties, and irate shoppers fighting over parking spaces — however annoying —may not seem like threats to society. But, according to Moffat, they are. In his chapter entitled “Incivility Everywhere!” — part of a larger book-length work, “Civility and its Discontents,” to be published in 2001 by University of Kansas Press — Moffat says there is substantial research “showing these ‘mere’ incivilities generate not only harmful stress, but far more serious social pathologies, including even murder. Among factors Moffat says contribute to modern incivility are the decline of reciprocity (members of society no longer feel bound by reciprocal duties toward one another), weakening social cohesion, growth of excess negative liberty (fewer constraints to inhibit inappropriate actions), peril of prosperity and the degeneration of personal responsibility. The answer to this growing incivility, Moffat contends, is civil discourse. “It’s up to each of us,” Moffat says, “to rededicate ourselves to becoming more tolerant and more responsible. Each of us must take personal responsibility for solving the problem.”

U.S. Supreme Court cites Florida Law Review

wsmitty@ufl.edu — Mon, 22 Jan 2001 18:16:10 +0000

In his dissenting opinion from a January 9, 2001, decision, Justice Breyer of the United States Supreme Court cited a recent Florida Law Review regarding interpretation of a recent congressional amendment to the Tax Code. In Gitlitz v. Commissioner of Internal Revenue, Justice Breyer cited an article by James F. Loebl, entitled “Does the Excluded COD Income of an Insolvent S Corporation Increase the Basis of Shareholders’ Stock?,” published in the December 2000 issue of the Florida Law Review, as supporting the proposition that ‘the shareholders’ basis in their stock is not adjusted by the amount of debt discharge income that is excluded at the corporate level.” Loebl is an Assistant Professor of Taxation and Business Law at Indiana University – Purdue University, Fort Wayne, and holds an L.L.M. degree in Taxation from the Levin College of Law. The Florida Law Review’s consistent track record of timely publication of topical issues gives judges and other legal practitioners the opportunity to remain on the cutting edge of developments in the law. The Law Review publishes five issues per year, in January, April, July, September and December.

Key officials head UF conference on role of law, media, courts in 2000 Florida presidential election

wsmitty@ufl.edu — Mon, 22 Jan 2001 18:12:48 +0000

Key participants in Florida’s protracted 2000 presidential election will participate in a one-day University of Florida conference Feb. 26 in the law school auditorium, examining legal, political and media aspects of the contested balloting. The seminar, “FLORIDA ELECTION 2000: Insiders at the Intersection of Law, Politics and the Media,” is sponsored jointly by the law school, College of Journalism and Communications, and College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Among presentations scheduled are those from members of the legal teams for both Vice President Al Gore and President-elect George W. Bush, national media representatives, members of the Governor’s Elections Task force, state legislators and officials, and academicians. Dean Jon Mills, who will coordinate the session, said participants “will examine the unique intersection of law, politics and the media, and the role of each, in the unprecedented, ambiguous situation which dominated American life for more than 30 days following the November election.” Panel moderators in addition to Mills include UF Provost David Colburn, Professor Richard Scherof the UF department of political science, and Terry Hynes, dean of UF College of Journalism and Communications. The conference, open to the public, will begin at 8 a.m. with a welcome by UF President Charles Young. Five panel sessions, with audience participation, are scheduled until conclusion at 4 p.m. A complete agenda will be posted on the law school Web site, www.law.ufl.edu, this week.

Law school commended by California Lt. Governor

wsmitty@ufl.edu — Mon, 22 Jan 2001 18:00:03 +0000

The Levin College of Law has received a commendation from California Lieutenant Governor Cruz Bustamante, in honor of the law school’s placement among the top 10 law schools in the country by Hispanic Business Magazine. “Your commitment to providing quality education is highly commendable, and an inspiration to many underrepresented people. I am pleased to know others are taking tremendous steps to make higher education attainable to all,” said Bustamante in a letter to Dean Jon Mills. Hispanic Business Magazine, a nationally distributed publication, ranked the Levin College of Law fourth in the nation in its September issue on the “Top 10 Law Schools for Hispanic Students.” Also included in the list were University of Miami, Loyola Marymount (Los Angeles), St. Mary’s University (San Antonio), Stanford, University of Texas, Texas Southern (Houston), Fordham, University of Southern California and Arizona State University. According to Hispanic Business, editors took into consideration — in addition to academic and faculty stature — such items as minority recruitment and retention (among students and faculty), mentoring programs, student activities and associations, professional internship opportunities, career placement services, networking alumni associations and financial aid availability.