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Mail
Magazine 24
Integrity
Matters In Democracy
by Allen B. West
The topic for this week’s installment of the Next Generation weekly
update is a simple word – integritas.
Yes, that Latin word means exactly what you think it means – integrity
– and I pulled down this explanation of integrity from Wikipedia:
Integrity is a concept of consistency of actions, values, methods,
measures, principles, expectations and outcomes. In ethics, integrity
is regarded as the honesty and truthfulness or accuracy of one's
actions. Integrity can be regarded as the opposite of hypocrisy, in
that integrity regards internal consistency as a virtue, and suggests
that parties holding apparently conflicting values should account for
the discrepancy or alter their beliefs.
... Integrity is the inner sense of "wholeness" deriving from qualities
such as honesty and consistency of character. As such, one may judge
that others "have integrity" to the extent that they act according to
the values, beliefs and principles they claim to hold.
Integrity was one of the lessons I learned from my Mom and Dad, and the
U.S. Army reinforced that lesson. Once one loses a sense of integrity,
it is quite hard, almost impossible, to regain that respect of
character and honor. I teach my daughters the basic lesson that
character means doing what is right when no one is watching. That is
how one builds a reputation of impeccable character.
As my own military career progressed, I expressed to junior officers
the importance of integrity as a foundation of success in a leader and
a unit. One comment that officers always wanted to see on their
evaluation reports was “possesses integrity beyond reproach.” Not
seeing that comment would be a downer.
However, as we ponder our problem in America, I see a lack of integrity
as a cultural norm that is a major contributing factor.
A disturbing lack of electoral integrity
Consider Melowese Richardson, the Hamilton County (Cincinnati, Ohio)
poll worker of 25 years who has been accused of voter fraud. She
admitted voting by absentee ballot and at a precinct. Her response: “I,
after registering thousands of people, certainly wanted my vote to
count. So I voted; I voted at the poll.”
The greater issue is that Richardson not only voted twice herself, she
also did so for her granddaughter, India. But that was not the end.
Richardson also cast absentee ballots for Montez Richardson, Joseph
Jones and Markus Barron.
When asked if she would fight these charges, Richardson said,
“Absolutely, I’ll fight it for Mr. Obama and for Mr. Obama’s right to
sit as president of the United States.”
Amazing! Richardson’s individual lack of integrity resulted in a lack
of integrity in our electoral process. More disturbing is the complete
lack of a sense of wrongdoing. Basically for Richardson, the end
justified the means.
And where is the integrity in our attorney general to investigate this
blatant case of voter fraud? Perhaps his lack of integrity will result
in the same outcome as with the 2008 case where New Black Panthers
intimidated voters by standing watch outside polls in Philadelphia with
clubs. They were not punished.
See, this lack of integrity resulting in voter fraud is a prime example
of voter suppression. How many presidential votes for Mitt Romney were
canceled last fall by such behavior? How many Americans who possess
integrity beyond reproach saw their votes rendered meaningless in 2012?
Corruption in ‘the people’s house’
Next consider the politicians sent to the House of Representatives,
“the people’s house.” Think of the trust placed in those who hope to
have someone stand up for their concerns and issues affecting their
lives.
Just this week we saw another example of the depressing norm of an
utter lack of political integrity. Former Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr.,
D-Ill., pleaded guilty to fraud involving $750,000 of misallocated
campaign funds. His wife, a local Chicago alderwoman, also was involved.
People gave their hard-earned financial resources to further Jackson’s
political career, and he repaid their trust with corruption. But in
this case, what I found most disconcerting was a woman on CNN stating
that the legal pursuit of Jackson for his misdeeds was a sad day for
civil rights.
No, it was a sad day for America to again watch media coverage, albeit
sparse, of another elected official evidencing a lack of integrity and
breaking the trust of the American people. Have we become so
desensitized and have we come to expect such deplorable character that
we are no longer shocked by it?
A budget debate without integrity
One last example of poor integrity has become apparent as we near the
draconian federal budget cuts called sequestration. This issue has been
looming since fall 2011, but earlier this week when President Obama
again took to the political stage to address it, he omitted three key
points.
The first is that the idea of forced, across-the-board budget cuts
emanated from his White House, as confirmed by his own press secretary,
Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., and author Bob Woodward. The president also
failed to let the American people know that the House last year passed
two bills to replace sequestration with targeted spending cuts, yet the
Democratic Senate did not act.
Obama also continues to talk about the need for a “balanced approach”
that includes more revenue – read, higher taxes. What he doesn’t say is
that, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, America
will collect more revenue than ever before, $2.7 trillion, in fiscal
2013.
Top Democrats like House leaders Nancy Pelosi and Steny Hoyer insist
otherwise, but a spending problem is causing our astronomical annual
deficits. We also need the president and Senate to provide a budget, a
constitutional mandate that hasn’t been fulfilled in years.
Where is the integrity when the president and Democrats talk about the
budget? As I was taught, a lie of omission is still a lie and a
violation of integrity.
Integrity beyond reproach? Sadly, no
I also wonder what happened to integrity in America when I think of
what happened to U.S. Ambassador Christopher Stevens in Benghazi,
Libya. And where are the nearly 30 survivors who were rescued from
Benghazi by the courageous two former U.S. Navy SEALs who died
protecting them?
When I hear silence and witness political dodges in the wake of such
tragedy, I wonder whether we should have each constituent file
evaluative reports on the leaders they elect, including the president.
If so, would we be able to include the comment “possesses integrity
beyond reproach”?
America and her next generation need the restoration of honor,
integrity and character as a cultural norm.
Read this and other articles at Mail Magazine 24
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