Category Archives: Ethics

Ethical Dilemmas

22 Saturday Oct 2022

Posted by in Ethics

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            Today a Florida jury decided to not execute a kid who shot up a school. It didn’t take long for the jurors to decide since three jurors were ethically opposed to killing anyone. Some jurors believe the three lied when they swore they were unbiased. Some others may not have liked the idea but mass killing of kids was the ethical line for them. The ethical dilemma is would those against an execution feel the same if he had killed their child.

            During World War II someone made the decision to not bomb the railroad tracks leading to the extermination camps. Why we don’t know and may never know who made that ethical decision. Today we are training Ukrainians to use the high tech equipment we are sending to them for use against the Russian invaders. Putin has repeatedly said he will use tactical nuclear weapons to stop his army’s defeats. How will we respond? Will we give the Ukraine nuclear weapons to respond, will we respond through NATO, or will be do nothing again.

            The ethical question each American is asked to make today is here in the United States. Since Roe v. Wade was overturned after 50 years, each voter is being asked to decide how they stand by who they vote for. Many of those running have been adamantly against it in the Primary but are lessening for the general election to get votes. Some have changed their position weekly. Illinois’ GOP Governor Nominee said he “is against it for right now.” Inconsistent ethics is based on getting elected for most.

            We are all faced with ethical decisions and one is whether to give those who disagree with us the opportunity to present their view and perhaps to compromise on an issue both can live with.

Truth and Trust Matters

11 Friday Jan 2019

Posted by in Ethics, Politics

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Truth and trust matters when someone is asked for support in building a wall on our southern border. According to a non-partisan, independent group, President Trump has told over 7,000 lies since he took office. I don’t watch the ones he gives out on Twitter, but I bet I have seen him say about a thousand on the news. A few times he has told a different one on the same subject several days in a row. Without any trust how can I or any reasonable person support him?

His reason for shutting down the government is the flood of illegal immigrants crossing our southern border. He says it is worse than ever before but the Department of Homeland Security says crossings are the least in two years and the least in twenty years. He and his aides said 17,000 criminals were caught crossing the southern border. According to the Transportation Safety Administration of the 362,000 apprehended from all ports of entry (borders, airports, seaports, and coasts) only 6,259 had any criminal records. Almost all of those deported were re-crossers and those with traffic violations which TSA considers criminal. Less than 800 had a real criminal record for violence, sexual or domestic abuse, and firearms violations. Trump said 4,000 terrorists were caught crossing the southern border. The State Department says 6 at the southern border and 41 at the northern border.

The lack of trust isn’t only here but around the world. Our friends and foes don’t trust his word. A sad example is the European bookies bet on the number of lies he would tell in his television address. The line was 3.5 lies. When our NATO allies treat him as a joke according to some of the European news agencies, I can only infer their leaders do not trust him. We need that support for help and to deter our foes. Because of the lack of trust and conflicting statements, cabinet secretaries, generals, and others are firemen sent to quell nervousness and try to repair relationships. Unfortunately those the allies trusted have quit their jobs or been fired.

The trust of the President is critical to world peace and even its economy. The people and their leaders hear what a President says. The leaders may be consulted with calming words, the people aren’t. My mother said, “People who lie can’t be trusted” and my dad said, “A man’s word is his bond”. That is the characteristic we and the world wants to lead the United States and the free world.