It's All a Matter of Character - or It Should Be
Overshadowing the election, just one week ago, the tawdry news about top officials of the CIA and the military and their personal behavior and the personal behavior of others has become the story du jour in every news medium. Some people think this is all very important, with marital infidelity and email exchanges between people we've never heard of topping the news.
It's not about any of that, in my opinion. It is simply about the character of the people who are making critical decisions at the very top levels of government. General Petraeus and General Allen, for example, have enormous responsibilities that affect our national security and the safety of our military personnel. And yet, they are busy with violating the trust of their own marriages and engaging in complex personal and sexual relationships. Now, it is costing them their jobs, and there will have to be a transition to other leadership. That interferes with the operations they were supposed to be managing. Sudden resignations of top leadership always result in confusion and problems with continuity of critical operations.
This is about character, and about character alone. Whatever the details of all of this sexual dalliance and intrigue, the bottom line is that a lack of character on the part of the individuals involved has thrown yet another monkey wrench into the works of government. It has distracted from very important issues now being decided by our President and our Congress. This sophomoric adolescent nonsense has distracted us from keeping a close eye on far more important issues.
Character does matter. There are few things as simple and basic as the fidelity of a marriage. In front of witnesses and often in a religious ceremony, people pledge fidelity to their spouses. Marriage is a fundamental contract in our society. It is supposed to be something that is central to our lives. It's easy to be faithful to one's spouse. It's simple and there are really no complications. When temptations arise, a person of good character turns away from those temptations because they have given their word.
If such a simple commitment cannot be kept by an individual, then why should any of us expect more complex commitments to be kept by that individual? That is the central issue presented by the exposure of basic flaws of character in powerful, influential people. They have failed to keep commitments in the most basic parts of life. If they cannot keep those commitments, why would we think they keep their other commitments?
Some say, "Well, everyone cheats." That is simply not true. Only some people cheat in keeping their commitments to their spouses. Only people of poor character cheat. Why do we continue to excuse poor character in our leaders? Perhaps we should stop doing that. Perhaps we should look to those who display good character in basic commitments for leadership and leave the rest to carry on as they wish, but not from positions of leadership.
I want people of good character running our government and our military. It's not a moral issue. It is an issue of trust. I will not excuse longstanding lapses of character from our leaders. That's my bottom line. If they want my trust, then they must display good character in their lives. If they do not, they will simply not have my trust.
= new reply since forum marked as read
