comity

a completely foreign word to me

Definition of comity:

1. "An atmosphere of social harmony. 2. The principle by which the courts of one jurisdiction may accede or give effect to the laws or decisions of another. 3. Comity is the courtesy one jurisdiction gives by enforcing the laws of another jurisdiction. Comity is granted out of respect, deference, or friendship, rather than as an obligation.” (answers.com)

Where I ran across it:
1/22/08 NYT article, "In Matters Big and Small, Crossing Giuliani Had Price" by Michael Powell and Russ Buettner. This is one of a series of articles appearing in "The Long Run," a political column about the lives and careers of contenders for the 2008 Republican and Democratic presidential nominations.

“...The Citizens Budget Commission has driven mayors of various ideological stripes to distraction since it was founded in 1932. The business-backed group bird-dogs the city’s fiscal management with an unsparing eye. But its analysts are fonts of creative thinking, and Mr. Giuliani asked Raymond Horton, the group’s president, to serve on his transition committee in 1993.That comity was long gone by the autumn of 1997, when Mr. Giuliani faced re-election...”

My two cents:
Election years certainly provide plenty of political fodder for columnists and a feast for hungry voters seeking the truth. This NYT article was particularly juicy -- and it gave me a terrible, aching heartburn. But I'm not sorry. Disturbing as the news is about Rudy Giuliani's vengeful, mafioso-like tactics as mayor of New York (woh, he did wha-a-at??!!), it is also validation for those who have wondered about the "too good to be true" persona he has cultivated as a post-911 cult hero, and now a presidential candidate. Granted, running a city like New York must require true grit, nerves of steel, and a firm hand. And granted, he has charisma. I heard him deliver a fabulous post-911 motivational speech at my husband's professional veterinary convention. The guy has that "it" factor, hands down. But what he apparently doesn't have is a very good record in the political ethics department. This article serves up some of the dirty tricks Giuliani has dished out in his service to the public, and the menu isn't pretty. Go read it yourself, and see what you think. I'm not looking for perfection, nor am I naive in my expectations of any candidate. But the base, mean-spirited governing style Mr. Giuliani has demonstrated in the past -- and now brings to the presidential table -- is fairly rotten, and wholly distasteful. After reading this enlightening article, I'll be thinking more critically about Giuliani's "hero/good guy" persona. That's just something I can no longer swallow.