In a couple of weeks Americans will go to the polls to vote for men and women to represent them in political office. But finding a candidate with integrity may be challenging.
Perhaps it's a little ironic to hear a prisoner talk about integrity. After all, to commit crimes one must not have integrity. Even so, I recognize the need for integrity in my own life, and in the lives of those we elect to represent us.
Maybe a working definition of integrity would be helpful. Integrity is when someone possesses and demonstrates positive character (such as trustworthiness, honesty, and loyalty) consistently in his life. Consistency means while others are watching and when you're alone.
Other than prisoners or politicians, when you think of people who may lack integrity you might also think of car salesmen, and lawyers - I would also add prosecutors - but let's talk about politicians for a minute.
Every election year there is an influx of T.V. commercials for politicians running for office. These commercials, by and large, are negative attacks on the opponent. Many of these ads obfuscate the truth at best, or flat-out lie at worst. When politicians on both sides of the aisle lack integrity in their personal or professional lives voters are reluctant to trust these politicians to represent them with integrity. Instead, the politicians are viewed as self-seeking, and untrustworthy.
Undoubtedly, political leadership involves tough decision and it's impossible to make decisions that everyone agrees with. But when we choose a person to represent us in political office we want someone who has integrity in all of his or her dealings.
When political candidates are willing to lie about their opponents, or to stretch the truth on their own record, the people who are asked to elect them are forced to choose between a representative with no integrity or staying away from the polls altogether. The low turnout rate in nearly every election may be an indicator of the public's lack of trust in politics, and in the candidates running for office.
We can try to solve the financial crisis, the health care crisis, the border security problems, or the myriad other issues politicians face, but until we solve the crisis in leadership and begin electing men and women with integrity to represent us we will continue to have leaders who are concerned with advancing their own agendas, meanwhile lying to our faces in the process.
