That column heading is borrowed from PhD philosopher and ethicist Sissela Bok, Harvard University. Other than the Bible, it is the most impactful book I’ve ever read. Bok asks, is it ever all right to lie, or stretch the truth, or make a lie look like truth? She looks at lying and deception in public and private life — in government, medicine, law, academia, journalism, in the family and between friends.
We might not think about it every day, but during this election season I suggest we should, because of the preponderance of lies and sophism we’re experiencing. There is a foundation in these United States of America for upholding truth; it is given in the great blessings of liberties of freedom in general, and freedom of speech in particular. Those liberties include a moral responsibility not to squander the blessings cemented in the Constitution. But we are seeing again, during another election cycle, there are bad people with bad intentions attempting to gain or regain public positions of influence and power, even in our own historically long-conservative Kendall County.
This past year, the “woke” left in our State Legislature and national Congress worked decisively to obstruct the amazing gifts we have in our national and State Constitutions. Just how far will they continue to go?
Let me give you some examples: Candidate A voted to impeach a public official on moral and ethical grounds. But Candidate Z claims Candidate A did so “in an attempt to undermine our values and our votes.” Candidate Z appears to question our values and votes as not based in morality and ethics. What is the basis of Candidate Z’s morals and ethics?
Candidate Z claims ‘not to be a politician’, even with three previous terms in the state legislature. If one serves in an elected public office, isn’t that person considered a politician?
Candidate Z says Candidate A “Betrayed our trust” and “Stood against the Republicans of our district.” But Candidate Z says such things out of context because in fact Candidate A was able to negotiate a compromise vote. Therein Z again displays his tendency to mislead. Don’t we want someone in office of intelligence, focus, fortitude and principles to achieve development rather than not doing anything but degrading.
Candidate Z advertises having passed a bill, leading the public to believe it was signed into law. But in fact, the one and only bill Z authored that achieved any traction was only “Considered in public hearing” then died.
Candidate Z says in mailings promoting Z’s candidacy that Z “Filed” several bills. Writing and filing a bill is relatively easy. Negotiating its passage and signed into law takes skill that apparently Z doesn’t have. If you hadn’t noticed, some politicians draft and file bills only to satisfy certain constituent concerns, but then never doing anything to move those bills along the process to being signed into law. That takes a lot of work, and often negotiation and compromise; all skills Candidate Z seems to be missing.
Candidate Z sends self-lauding promotional candidacy mailers with a photo of Z with the governor, thereby implying the governor’s endorsement. But the governor in fact publicly endorsed and continues to support Candidate A. Another bit of implied truth; or should we consider that an outright lie. Z also falsely claims other endorsements by prominent organizations and personages. The mounting sophism equates to lying in my world.
Are such claims lies? At best, they verge on lies. At worst it’s a breakdown in core morality. The point here is if we have candidates who:1) don’t tell the truth in their candidacy, can we trust them when in office? And 2) If a candidate stoops to smearing their opponent and not focusing on their own abilities, goals, objectives, or history, then what are they hiding.
President George Washington had a rule book; rules we might like our public leaders to model. He said, “Every action done in company, ought to be with some sign of respect…” Washington added, “Where you reprove another, be unblameable yourself... Be not apt to relate news if you know not the truth thereof…” Those are words, traits, and actions to seek in our public servants and candidates for office.
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