LOSS OF INTEGRITY

THE WOMAN WHO, STUPID AND CRIMINAL, PUT THE PIECE OF HUMAN FINGER IN THE CHILI CLAIMS SHE 'LOST HER MORAL COMPASS' WHEN SHE WAS CRIMINALLY CONVICTED OF TRYING TO SHAKE DOWN A RICH CORPORATION FOR MONEY. HARRY BELAFONTE, THE HAS-BEEN ACTOR, HAS LOST HIS MORAL COMPASS BY CALLING OUR LEGIMATELY ELECTED PRESIDENT, 'THE GREATEST TERRORIST IN THE WORLD.' THOSE WHO AWARDED HIS SPEECH WITH A STANDING OVATION BECAUSE HE REFERENCED THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY TO THE GESTAPO, HAVE ALSO LOST THEIR MORAL COMPASS. STUDENTS WHO CHEAT IN SCHOOL HAVE LOST THEIRS. TEACHERS AND PROFESSORS WHO HAVE 'MADE IT LEGAL' TO CHEAT HAVE LOST THEIRS. TELEVISION PRODUCERS WHO PUSH THE ENVELOPE OF PROFANITY, OBCENSITY AND BLASPHEMY EACH YEAR IN THEIR SITCOMS HAVE LOST THEIRS. STUDENTS CONTENT TO GRADUATE COLLEGE WITHOUT BASIC SKILLS IN READING COMPREHENSION AND PRACTICAL MATHEMATICS HAVE LOST THEIRS. THESE FEW EXAMPLES IN ONE DAY IN THE LIFE OF AN AMERICAN WOULD CRIPPLE HOPE IN ANY HEALTHY BODY POLITIC.

WHAT CRITERION MUST BE SET AND WHAT LOSS MUST BE RETRIEVED FOR SUCH A DISHONORABLE CONDITION TO BE RECTIFIED? THE CRITERION IS INTEGRITY. SENATOR JOHN MCCAIN, CO-AUTHOR OF 'CHARACTER IS DESTINY', ENDED HIS BOOK WITH THE APPROPRIATE INSIGHTFUL ANSWER. AS A FORMER PRISONER OF WAR IN VIET NAM HE AND OTHER SOLDIERS WERE TORTURED NOT ONLY TO BETRAY OTHER INMATES, BUT ALSO TO REPUDIATE AND BETRAY THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT AS A SET PROPAGANDA PIECE FOR THE LISTENING WORLD. NO OTHER SOLDIER, NO AMERICAN AT HOME OR NO ENEMY WOULD KNOW WHEN OR IF MR. MCCAIN, FROM UNBEARABLE PAIN OR SELF-PRESERVATION, LOST HIS INTEGRITY AND LIED. BUT AS MR. MCCAIN SAYS, "I KNEW. I KNEW." AS LONG AS HE WAS SANE, HE KNEW.

SO THE LIE TO ONESELF, DELIBERATE OR CALCULATED SADDENS ME ABOUT AMERICANS TODAY. THE FAKE EXCUSE FOR A CRIME, TREASONOUS CLAIMS WITHOUT PROOFS, THOSE WHO APPLAUD OUTRAGEOUS CLAIMS, TEST GRADES DISHONESTLY EARNED, UNJUSTIFIED INSULTS TO MORAL SENSIBILITIES DISGUISED AS ENTERTAINMENT, MONEY AND TALENT WASTED ON SCHOOLING, WASTE OF TIME AND TALENT ASSISTED AND ACCEPTED BY EDUCATORS - ALL THESE REALITIES SCREAM, "I DON'T WANT TO KNOW. I DON'T WANT TO KNOW." WITH INTEGRITY, PEOPLE WOULD KNOW. THEIR CONSCIENCES WOULD KNOW. THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO HEROICALLY ECHO WHAT MR.CAIN KNEW. BETRAYAL OF SELF, LOSS OF INTEGRITY.