I have a politically conservative friend who will occasionally call me and invite me to lunch so that “we can solve the world’s problems,” as she routinely puts it.

Last week, there was some urgency to her tone as she suggested lunch. But politics was not to be on the menu, she said.

Manners would be.

I knew immediately what she was talking about because the last couple of weeks have been high — or low — watermarks in our country as they relate to our public behavior.

It began in the political world with South Carolina Rep. Joe Wilson yelling, “You lie!” to President Obama during an address to both houses of Congress.

It spread to the sports world when tennis champion Serena Williams unleashed a profanity-laced tirade against a line judge in her semifinal match in the U.S. Open women’s tennis championship.

It culminated in the entertainment world when rapper Kanye West hijacked the microphone from 19-year-old country music singer Taylor Swift at the beginning of the MTV Video Music Awards show to protest that singer Beyonce had lost to Swift in that category.

In each case, there were audible gasps of disbelief that this was happening. It was followed by quick denunciations by colleagues for the behavior they witnessed. It was then followed by apologies by the protagonists that brought about questions regarding their sincerity.

An era when people in our society are longing for the days of civility in our public discourse is quickly shifting into an era in which we will be longing for the days of simple civility.

What has become of our manners?

That a political gulf has divided this country has long been apparent. What has been less apparent is the extent of the cultural gulf that seems to be overtaking our country.

In the political context, we have spent a summer witnessing acts of defiance in town-hall meetings that are explained away by some as growing numbers of people simply exploding out of frustration.

More people throughout the political spectrum are saying they are genuinely scared for our country.

I understand those explanations because frustration and genuine fear are overtaking the lives of many, if not all of us, in this country, exacerbated by economic turmoil and economic policy that most of us do not understand.

But frustration is too quickly turning into bitterness in which facets of our society are beginning to take aim at one another.

I came across a wonderful YouTube moment recently when a protestor at an event was demanding that all people in this country learn English before they even be considered for citizenship.

Then the protester was asked to hold up his sign. It showed so many grammatical errors and misspelled words that you had to wonder what language he was communicating in.

But far from being a simple punch line, this protestor and the video making fun of him stands at the heart of our country’s discourse.

Critics would contend that this person represents the ignorance of those with whom they disagree.

Supporters would contend that the video itself represents the mean-spirited nature of those with whom they disagree.

I would contend that this person represents one fringe element and that those lampooning him on video represent another fringe. To base our discourse here is to debase our ability to solve problems.

Instead, I would love to follow the lead of the singer Beyonce who won her own MTV Music Video award later that evening.

The veteran singer recalled for the audience the first time she won such an honor and what it meant to her.

She then called Swift back to the stage and asked her to finish what she had started to say before Kanye West interrupted.

By doing so, Beyonce showed us what good manners can do for this country. She showed us that compassion, not bitterness, is the key to solving our problems.

Editor Carlos Sanchez’s column runs Sundays. Contact him at csanchez@wacotrib.com or 757-5703.