A Vote for Integrity

The Latin adjective integer means whole, complete. Having a sense of integrity is paramount in business; in society.  Today, the United States goes to the polls to elect its 45^th President. A lot has been said about the candidates as most of it requires a point-of-view on which to stand in order for the conflicting statements to be true. Yet, in review, I’d not say that either showed much integrity.

  This process of selection has become one of adversity; where the plan for all is not encouraging cooperation and participation, but a position where disagreement delivers denigration and humiliation. Taking sides diminishes American culture proposed by our founding fathers and first President, George Washington. He promoted the cultivation of being a citizen of the United States above all other loyalties; who in his farewell speech to the nation at the end of his second term as President, warned the new nation of the dangers of political parties; where affiliation to a particular party’s course of governing divided citizens from being supportive to one another as fellow citizens. 

   Ours was an inception based on freedom; to pursue our happiness. No guarantees, and certainly no false promises of the government taking care of us, but a pledge to support one another.  Adam Smith, father of economics said that government should protect society against “the violence and invasion” of other societies.  We’d call that national defense. Overall I think that’s a swell idea, we need space to invent ourselves.

  As for all the rest? What should we invest our time, our money, our very limited energy into? How about starting with civility? Not moralistic or ethical dogma that says we must behave is this way or that in order to earn respect or demonstrate obedience towards appointed authorities; nothing so abstract as how not to be punished.  Being decent should be the start point, as is abhorrence to deliver ridicule and humiliation on others. It should be a national value, as well as personal virtue. Hoarding greed is born from lack, as that is a conclusion derived in fear.  We are a marvelous race for we adapt to who we say we are.  Ellie Wiesel, Nobel Laureate said it best:

“People become the stories they hear
and the stories they tell.”

I vote, today for a fresh approach to being human. Foremost in my dedication is to not see disagreement as a call to battle.  Rather, to cherish my brethren because we’re American’s and that’s not an everyday calling. Let us use this hard earned freedom to work towards good; no one needs a lesson on what that is. It’s the only reasonable course towards peace.