From the Bench

WHATEVER HAPPENED TO INTEGRITY?

If you listen to some folks, it is dead. There are always idealists out there, looking in vain for the perfect world that will never be.

Idealism is fine, if you don’t allow it to consume the reality of life, which is that we live in an imperfect world, populated by imperfect men. Always have. Always will.

There was an interesting column on the Opinion page of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution on the 4th of July. It was written by a disillusioned young man who is about ready to chuck it all and move to another country. And he is a schoolteacher, for heaven sakes.

After insisting on his patriotism and loyalty to his country, he proceeded into a litany of the most recent and highly-publicized sins of the fathers. Immoral priests, corporate fraud, dishonest politicians, corruption at every level. It was all there.

If you listen to this young man, America is rotten to the core. Nothing he said would encourage anyone to come, or get anyone to stay. Makes you wonder why so many keep fighting to get here.

Perhaps a short lesson in history would add some perspective for this teacher as to how much worse we have gotten in our progression as a nation.

Let’s talk about two hundred years of slavery, endorsed and participated in by so many of those “founding fathers” who we revere. Yet they were imperfect men in an imperfect world.

Let’s talk about the westward movement, and our treatment of native Americans. Yet most of us live on land confiscated by questionable treaties. Surely we are worse now than we were then. Perhaps we should give it back and leave. Would you agree?

Let’s talk about the Civil War, in which most of those who died had no slaves. And about that half of a nation that “freed” the black man, but through political intrigue left him to rot for another hundred years. Were we better then?

What about the thirty year period after the Civil War, when railroad tycoons and robber barons established an economic royalty which remains four generations later. Throw child labor into that mix. Were we better off then?

There is more, but that is enough for one sitting.

In summary, if you’re looking for integrity, most of the time you won’t find it in history or in headlines. But it is there, if you look in the right places.

Look for it in those folks you call “Mom” and “Dad”. Many of us are fortunate in that regard.

Look for it in those kids you call “Son” or “Daughter.” If you’ve done a proper job, you will find it there.

Look for it in your church and in the pulpit. Not everyone is a hypocrite.

And last, but by no means least, look for it among your co-workers, the ones your students call “teacher.” Surely you will find some integrity there.

And maybe a bit of hope?

If not, perhaps the country is in as bad a shape as you say. Maybe all of us should leave. But you go first…….and please don’t blow out OUR candles when you leave.

And if you find that perfect place, let me know. I may want to join you.

But if it’s that place I have heard about since childhood, don’t bother to call. I’m not ready to go just yet.

Ó2002 Dave Nelson

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