Ever since the wee years of my youth, I have wrestled with the concepts of appropriate lying. Christianity and corporal punishment having instructed me lastingly that lying is wrong, evil and a sin.
But our culture is chock full of lying.
We have lies that cover surprise parties; lies to cover a person's age; lies that safeguard military secrets; lies that cover indiscretions; numerous and varying lies that parents tell their children; lies that law enforcement officers use to search for and ensnare criminals; special arenas of lying for the business spheres; courtesy lying; lies that politicians tell (also known as promises); and the lies of office holders.
The lies of office holders, again being a hot topic.
"Acting Inspector General Thomas F. Gimble told the Senate Armed Services Committee that the office headed by former Pentagon policy chief Douglas J. Feith took 'inappropriate' actions in advancing conclusions on al Qaeda connections not backed up by the nation's intelligence agencies."
- Inspector general: Pentagon manipulated prewar intel - CNN.com
Office holders lie. It's always been an aggravating fact. We (the American People) rely on checks and balances within governmental bodies and the looming fear of Justice, via prosecution and punishment, to keep these lies and their damages to a minimum.
So the most disturbing thing I found in the CNN article was the bald statement that these actions were not illegal. It paints the attitude that no accountability will be available.
In regular society (where most of us voters and taxpayers live) a lie that caused the deaths of others; induced panic and calamity upon large segments of a society; caused the destruction of millions (or billions) of dollars in material property; and incurred massive expense and inconvenience on public service agencies, would be held accountable under the auspices of criminally negligent behavior.
But accountability among its own has rarely been seen issuing from this executive administration. An administartion ironically promoted by the Christian Conservative Republican Right, supposedly the most moral among us.
Barring the loss of soldiers and civilains, the destruction of buildings, businesses, economies, neighborhoods and societies; the very worst Humanitarian thing that has happened throughout this current Iraq War are the thousands (tens or hundreds of thousands?) of deaths and maimings of children.
I expect every office holder will be let off the hook; even if they lied or were deceptive during the course of their duties.
After all, lying gets social nods under many situations, one of those being, to get a job done; and that's definetly an American Way. Justice and Truth being maleable to the higher priority.
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Comments: 10
It matters not if the lie was to start a war, or incarcerate good Border Patrol agents, political affilliation, race, or the persons religion should not come into play.
Those in public office should be held to a higher standard, but then Washington D.C. would be empty.
Mark - The basic motivation is the same; hiding truth so a specific plan can succeed.
It is in the payoffs that the differences become major. In the examples of "surprise parties to national security" the rewards of secrecy and obfuscation respectively are; having a good time and protecting ourselves from being killed.
The leading religions here in America all teach that unswerving adherence to truth is the real path to righteousness. Our founding fathers promoted it as the stolid path to prosperity and security.
One Truth, however, is that our modern day society favors the games where fame and monetary accumulation are achieved; arenas where righteous words are not really expected to be followed up with righteous action; and where advantaging yourself is pretty much viewed as a virtue.
I'm sure Feith was just looking out for himself, by doing the job he'd been given. As is everyone else.
Now I'm thinking of some John Mellencamp song:
"Sayin' it's your job, ol Hoss, still don't make it right."
Hugh - Of course you do.
Mark H. - Religion is brought into play by the powerful campaigning of the Christian Conservative Republican Right; who profess to be the majority in this country. They openly spread their name during elections to promote the agendas and elections of their political favorites and bed-fellows.
I can (and will) speak to it; because CCRR leaders keep holding that door open, and because the CCRR votership should always be constantly shown what their votes have brought.
Call me a voice of conscience.
I didn't say anything to race; nor do I have cause to. The power of the Christian Conservative Republican Right is not confined within any racial lines.
Holding public office would not empty Washington, D.C. But I hear ya, it would reduce the population significantly.
Where's them people that are so hot for smaller government?
In America, every citizen, taxpayer and member of the votership has a constitutionally guaranteed right to speak up to their elected and appointed office holders (as well as the general populace) in both public and private venues. By this mechanism we monitor the democratic republics we create.
It is one of the instruments of change and protection.
Nicole - It's like the Jack Nicholsan character: "The Truth! You can't handle the Truth."
But the Truth in cost is unavoidable. According to the national rhetoric of our masses (ie: patriotism, nationalism) the actions of our government supposedly reflect the desires of the people.
Although I haven't conducted a survey of my own; I remain confident that any poll of the general populace would reflect feelings of woe over the injury of children; regardless of race, religion, national origin or economic status.
Children have traditionally been the ultimate innocents in our eyes. Although our conscience has dealt with the weight of the deaths of our own soldiers and contractors it cannot long bear the idea that children have died and suffered in association with a political deceit.
Such a thing is neither Christian, Conservative, Republican or Right.