No One Asked Me But… (January 12, 2022)

By DR. LARRY MOSES

No one asked me but… Where have all the leaders gone? America appears to have slipped into an era of Ineptocracy: a system of government where the least capable to lead are elected by the least capable of producing – where the members of society least likely to sustain themselves are rewarded with goods and services paid for by the confiscated wealth of a diminishing number of producers.

The news reports of today reinforce the idea that Americans are basically morally corrupt, greedy, racist, and self-serving. It is my contention that the American people are not as a whole morally corrupt. The problem is the inept and morally corrupt leadership the country has experienced over the last thirty or so years. I believe that the continual bombardment from a mass media depicting the evil of American society does not reflect the soul of the American people.

In spite of what the media would have us believe I still hold that the American people are basically good and that goodness is intrinsic to the American character. With all of the negative news about America, one can lose the fact that the American people are some of the most giving people in the world.
American values include Heroism, Charity, Honesty, Neighborliness, and Initiative.

Heroism is at the very foundation of America. The pages of our history are thick with the exploits of heroes. However, if you ask a dozen people what a hero is you may well get twelve different answers, because it means different things to different people.

It can mean facing a life-threatening danger as John Wayne said: “Courage is being afraid but saddling up anyway.”

It may be a Joe Manchin who willingly surrenders popularity and security by taking a stand opposing the conventional wisdom of those around him. Read John Kennedy’s book Profiles in Courage.

But to me some of America’s greatest heroes are the folks who do their jobs, raise their families, discharge their responsibilities, and pass their lives quietly and decently.

Charity was not invented by Americans, but with diligent practice, Americans have made this gentle habit part of their universally accepted national character. Americans practice charity on a colossal scale. Vast agencies attend to domestic needs and the American nation serves as an abundant reservoir for world-wide relief.

The private face of charity is characterized by deeds of good will and benevolence and carried out by individuals acting in the spirit of brotherly love. American charity is given in a sensitive, warm and compassionate spirit and is intended to aid the recipient rather than aggrandize the giver. It is offered with the notion of bolstering the needy not only physically but spiritually as well. It is not given as a handout but as a hand up. It is done without a thought of reward or recognition.

Americans prize honesty, for honesty is the backbone of our character. We may hear and see sensational accounts of malicious, duplicitous, corrupt politicians, and unscrupulous business owners. However, these are the exceptions. We may have politicians who knowingly lie on the floor of the Senate about a presidential candidate or the rival party, and when later confronted with the lie, does not deny it but merely states “Well he didn’t get elected did he.”

We as a nation must never accept the Adam Schiff’s of the world as the norm. Long after the crooks and cheats have faded from our memories, we will remember those who served with honesty and integrity.
No personal or national trait is more highly regarded than this simplest one of all. We respect it and expect it in ourselves, our associates, and our leadership.

There is no better compliment that we can pay than to call someone honest. For example, how do we remember one of our greatest presidents? Not as compassionate, courageous, brilliant, wise, crafty, artful, or humorous even though he was all of these. We remember him as “Honest Abe” Lincoln.
Honesty is multi-dimensional. It implies integrity, ethical behavior, truthfulness, straight shooting, square dealing, and decency.

Manners may not count when no one is looking but honesty always counts. We remember the person who shows integrity even when it isn’t convenient, who did the right thing when it would be easier (and perhaps more profitable) to do the wrong thing. We remember those people who were honest when they didn’t have to be.

Neighborliness is another valued American characteristic. It is being sensitive to the needs of those around us. The willingness to go out of our way to help those who are brought to our attention in their time of need. The hospitable “lend-a-hand” spirit has left its imprint on many familiar themes in American life. Whenever there is a natural disaster Americans rise to the occasion and come from all over the nation to help those devastated by flood, fire, or wind.

True Americans value initiative, that bold resourceful spirit of enterprise. This is the essential characteristic that fueled the growth of the nation. This is the spontaneous quality that energized accomplishments of America’s premier inventors, scientists, industrialists, and developers.

As the great inventor Thomas Edison yelled out to one of his new hires when he was asked about the rules of his new job, “…there ain’t no rules around here! We are tryin’ to accomplish somep’n!”
It reminds me of the great John Madden quote: “Never mind the horse is blind, just load the wagon.”

Less dramatic, but equally as evident, has been the practical initiative of the everyday American. I was visiting with my son and his family when I notice my son was wearing a shirt with a pelican on it. I ask about the shirt and he said his daughter had it made up for him.

I ask why the pelican? My granddaughter replied: “Because it is the most optimistic bird in the bird kingdom.” This took me back and I quizzically replied: “What?”
She explained: “It is a pelican not a pelican’t.”
That is so true. We are Americans not American’ts.

The greatest challenge to America is not a pandemic of a flu. It is the assault on these basic principles that have always made America great. Only as long as the American people can continue to value these traits will America maintain its greatness.

Thought of the week… “Real integrity is doing the right thing, knowing that nobody’s going to know whether you did it or not.”
― Oprah Winfrey