National Civility Initiative

Who We Are

Our Conviction

Civility is not weakness. It is the strength to respond with truth when provoked, with grace when wronged, and with dignity when others despair. Our shared future depends not merely on laws or policies, but on the tone we strike in our daily discourse—at the dinner table, in classrooms, in courtrooms, and across every public platform.
We affirm that a nation that forgets how to speak with honor will forget how to govern itself. The National Civility Initiative calls for a re-commitment to principled communication—anchored in truth, guided by purpose, and marked by compassion.This is not politics.
This is people.
This is patriotism.

Why We Exist

To cultivate a generation of Americans—young and old—who are courageous enough to tell the truth, humble enough to listen, and noble enough to speak with honor in the face of adversity.We will:* Promote ethical engagement in public and private life.* Equip families, leaders, clinicians, and educators with tools for conflict resolution, dialogue, and de-escalation.* Provide spiritual, civic, and clinical guidance for those seeking healing from division, betrayal, or moral injury.* Recognize and amplify those who act with integrity in a world often tempted by self-interest and hostility.

Our Mission

How We Communicate

We reject shouting matches, character assassination, and the lure of sensationalism.We embrace:- Clarity over cruelty- Truth over tactics- Disagreement without dishonor- Transparency over manipulation- Accountability paired with graceWe believe in constructive confrontation, never passive resignation. When wrongs are present, we will name them—but always with clean hands and a steady voice.

Our Tone

Faith, Reason, and History

“Come now, let us reason together…” — Isaiah 1:18“Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt.” — Colossians 4:6“A house divided against itself cannot stand.” — Abraham LincolnFrom the prophets of old to the statesmen of the Founding era, civility has always walked hand in hand with liberty. The words we choose shape the justice we pursue. Without moral discourse, democratic institutions falter.

Our Foundation

Case Study

Courage in the Face of Collapse

This Initiative is born not from theory but from lived experience. When systems falter and institutions forget their calling, the ethical citizen must speak plainly. The National Civility Initiative seeks not comfort, but clarity. Where there is betrayal, we name it. Where there is injustice, we confront it. Where there is pain, we meet it with compassion.In doing so, we honor the countless clinicians, ministers, teachers, caregivers, veterans, and public servants who bear burdens quietly—and who deserve our voices loudly.

A Commitment to Public Trust

Civility, at its core, is not a matter of appearances or symbols—it is a covenant of trust between citizens, leaders, and institutions. In an age when truth is often contested and motives obscured, the call to civility must be framed as a deliberate act of stewardship for the common good.To act with civility is not to yield or appease. It is to bear responsibility for the tone and integrity of our public life. It is to speak with clarity when silence would harm, to listen with humility when others are unheard, and to build bridges of trust even where division has long prevailed.We move forward in good faith—believing that public trust is sustained not by perfection, but by consistency of principle, transparency of action, and a shared commitment to fairness. Civility, rightly practiced, is the courage to pair truth with compassion, to balance justice with mercy, and to lead with dignity even when the path is difficult.This is our pledge: to advance civility as the living expression of integrity, so that the bonds of public trust may be strengthened for generations to come.

Our Pledge

Our Call To Action

Take Action

“In the spirit of the Preamble, which calls us to form ‘a more perfect Union,’ we now commit ourselves to the lost arts of civility, clarity, and common purpose.”We issue this call not as an echo of the past, but as a declaration for the future. Civility is not weakness. It is strength, tempered by restraint. It is the courage to listen, the discipline to wait our turn, and the wisdom to know when to speak, and when to be still.We invite:Eagle Scouts, who pledged to do their duty to God and country.Veterans, who know the price of peace and the duty of honor.Clinicians and caregivers, who daily model mercy under pressure.Educators and parents, who shape conscience before opinion.Judges and attorneys, whose fidelity to the rule of law steadies the ship of state.And all who have been ignored, betrayed, or silenced—it is time to reclaim your voice, not in rage, but in righteousness.We extend our hand to every American who still believes, with unshaken faith, that truth and love are not enemies, but eternal allies.As Scripture teaches, “Speak the truth in love” (Ephesians 4:15)—not as a tactic, but as a way of being.Let us disagree without disgrace.
Let us stand without slandering.
Let us remember who we are.Together, we will write a new chapter—one of courageous civility, moral healing, and a return to the noble art of disagreement.Signed in Good Faith,
Bob Coates, MDiv, LMFT, LPC
Founder
National Civility Initiative
www.nationalcivility.org

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Join Us In Making A Difference

About Our Founder

Bob is President and CEO of The SyMedica Network of Healthcare Companies, Compliance, and Government Relations, American Academy of Professionals Health Programs, LLC, Behavioral Pain Specialists LLC, and Health Administrative Services, Inc.By training and passion he is a clinical psychotherapist, educator, minister, and is an executive healthcare consultant to medical practices, hospitals, healthcare attorneys, and state healthcare licensure boards’ affiliated healthcare practitioner health programs. Most days he can be found in Tampa Bay, at 35,000 ft on a plane, in the Washington, DC/Arlington,Virginia offices, or in Franklin, Tennessee.Bob can be reached by calling toll free 813.508.1859, or email [email protected].

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