With Rush Limbaugh's toxicity becoming (even more) of a problem for the conservative movement, the Daily Caller's Matt Lewis is issuing a call for “civility” in our discourse:

Conservatives, of course, will point to liberal examples of hatred and bitterness and say, “they do it, too!” Both sides do this. Both sides should be more civil. Both sides should show more character.

But since I suspect I'm reaching more conservatives here, let me make the case that you should not allow yourself to become obsessed with the political fight. In this, I agree with Peggy Noonan, who writes, "[I]n their fight against liberalism and its demands, too many conservatives have unconsciously come to ape the left. They too became all politics all the time."

At the end of the day -- at the end of our lives -- shouldn't our life's work -- our purpose -- have been noble? (Yes, political participation is honorable. Fighting for freedom is certainly honorable. But it is noble only if done in an honorable manner.)

What a load of self-serving nonsense.

This is a favorite defense for conservatives who find themselves in the unfortunate position of being forced to apologize: “I'm sorry for what I did, which happened only because I 'unconsciously' acted like a liberal.” It's a neat little trick for sort-of accepting responsibility while at the same time heaping a considerable portion of blame your ideological foes.

Limbaugh himself made good use of it in explaining his “apology” to Sandra Fluke: “I don't expect...morality, intellectual honesty from the left. They've demonstrated over and over a willingness to say or do anything to advance their agenda. It's what they do. It's what we fight against here every day. But this is the mistake I made. In fighting them on this issue last week, I became like them.”

I suppose it's possible that the conservative, in his natural state, is a peaceful and honorable being who only manages to debase himself after succumbing to the left's proprietary tactic of non-stop politicking. Of course, Lewis and other people who argue that are implying that the liberals are the ultimate cause of all incivility in our discourse. And I don't find that argument to be particularly civil.