Mr. Barack Obama, Democratic presidential candidate, released an ad this week in which he says that government needs honesty. Well – not quite. Mr. Obama said the country needs honesty when it comes to talking about Social Security. Honesty, claims Mr. Obama, is the only way to fix the system.
Honesty in government? That would be a new approach, to be sure. Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, Rudy Giuliani, John McCain, or any other politician – honesty is not the strong point of any.
Honesty in government is virtually unknown in our time. Before you disagree with me, consider the meaning of this character trait. Honesty is not just a matter of carefully selecting words during a dialogue on Social Security. Honesty is not just a matter of facing the tough questions instead of dodging them. Honesty is not a matter of revealing only what you wish to reveal about your past. It is not my intent to discuss any of the candidates’ honesty or lack of it. This is not the place for that.
This is, however, a place to look at the meaning of honesty. An enchanting book for children 3 to 8 years of age, Jeremy Rabbit’s Honesty Pie defines honesty so clearly and succinctly that even a politician might understand it. It shows that honesty is any attempt to deceive others for even a moment! The definition includes deceit in actions as well as words.
How many of us, politicians included, believe that? How many of us really believe honesty requires that both our words and our actions be such that we never try – even for a moment – to deceive others? We never attempt, even for a split second, to make someone think anything other than absolute fact?
Honesty in government. It’s somewhat of an oxymoron, isn’t it? How many of those running currently for the office of U.S. president labor to keep from deceiving others in word or deed? If asked about his background, is Mr. Obama careful to reveal everything, good and bad? If asked about her personal beliefs, does Ms. Clinton make them crystal clear? When someone asks Mr. Giuliani what he believes on moral issues, does he try to deceive us for even a moment? Do Mr. McCain and the other presidential candidates tell us what they truly believe is best for the country – or do they try to deceive? Are they totally honest – their words and deeds not trying to make us think anything other than what is absolutely the way it is?
Honesty in government is beyond the reach of most politicians. An honest politician would probably not get elected in today’s society. That seems to be true in every country.
Honesty is not beyond us, however. It is not beyond our children and our teenagers. This character trait rests on absolutes. It rests on facts. Things are either as they appear or they are not. Our words are either accurate or they are not. There is no middle ground in which “white lies” live.
Children are being dishonest when they wet their toothbrushes to make it appear that teeth have been brushed when they have not. Even if no one asks those children whether they brushed their teeth. Even if the children do not voluntarily say they brushed their teeth. Running water over a toothbrush and not using it is an attempt to deceive parents. It should be addressed as dishonesty. Children should be told that such actions fly in the face of honesty.
A wife who is late getting dinner on the table, because she spent too long on the phone, should not act as though the oven is not working. Even if she does not say the words, her actions lack honesty. Or take the husband who gives flowers to his secretaries on a host of special days. Yet, he excuses a lack of flowers for his wife by telling her he isn’t the type of man to think of flowers. He is deceiving her.
A sure way to improve relationships, whether in government or in the home, is to build this character trait into our lives. Government may never rise above the present dearth of honesty, but you can.
That’s the view from my chair. What’s your view?