What has become of integrity? Have you noticed it has become more difficult to observe within our daily lives and well, when witnessed in politics, it’s like a unicorn sighting. Maybe it is something you have to value in order to realize it is missing or to recognize when you see it. Like many, I was raised to believe that integrity is the gold standard in achievement as a human being. I was taught that it doesn’t matter if people can or cannot witness our actions, it is important to do the right thing regardless. There’s an emotion I can only describe as a deep disappointment, almost a heavy physical feeling in my core, when I witness someone betraying their integrity. It’s as if I’ve observed someone selling a piece of their soul. It doesn’t matter the reason, whether it’s for money, greed, convenience, friendship or a favor owed. I know in the rational part of my brain that we humans are not perfect, and occasions will arise where people will disappoint, but dadgum, it hits hard when I am an eyewitness to it or worse when I feel I have fallen short of my expectations for myself. And sometimes it’s the little things that we give in on that hit the hardest; the justifications and rationalizations we tell ourselves to try to make it right within us. Integrity doesn’t exist on a sliding scale; either people possess it, or they do not.

I’ve always trusted that a person’s dishonesty or deceit will eventually catch up to them. Although in examining citizens being fooled or turning a blind eye to blatant political antics and lies that can be easily fact checked, I have to wonder if that’s true. If our ethics were in check as a society, charlatans in politics would not be getting such support from citizens. People would not be giving a pass to those who readily lie. The fact that Fox News agreed to pay $787.5 million in 2023 to avoid a trial with Dominion Voting Systems in the voting machine company’s lawsuit that would have exposed how they promoted lies to the American people about the 2020 presidential election, should be a glaring indicator that the network knew they lied. And sadly, the damage has been done, people accepted the lies as truth and turned their backs on our democratic way of life.

Harry Truman said, “When you vote, you are in control of your government.” If the current state of political affairs is any indication, we certainly aren’t in control of our government. The sad thing is that citizens elected them, and they now have the power to destroy us.

Elections matter. One grave thing that illustrates elections matter is in the presidential power to make Supreme Court appointments. Our Supreme Court, which once had the utmost respect from citizens across our country, with its current justices has revealed itself to be a most inferior court. The conduct and rulings of a few of the justices, once without reproach, have been reduced to bending the rule of law to their own fancies. Now, our former president and recently convicted felon, along with House speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) are requesting the Supreme Court to overturn the convictions. Do you think that the justices appointed by the felon will feel pressure to repay their debt now that he has come calling? We shall see if they fold. Elections, integrity and justice matter.

One of the bravest, most ethical things our country has witnessed in the past eight years was when those 12 jurors, picked by attorneys on both sides, looked at the evidence presented to them and did what they knew to be right, even knowing that a segment of our country would cry, “Foul!” and “Rigged!” That was integrity in action. The fact that there are people in our country who are eager to vote for a convicted felon is mindboggling, isn’t it? Did you ever believe it could happen in the U.S.? One can only hope that when people find themselves alone in the voting booth about to cast their vote, they will take serious stock of their values and ask themselves, “Am I really going to vote for a convicted felon?” Our 45th president is the epitome of Arnold Winkler. You may recall Arnold. He was the new boy in an episode of The Andy Griffith Show who continually broke the law by riding his bike on the sidewalks of Mayberry and consequently knocking people over. Opie admired Arnold because he had a new expensive bike, received a larger allowance and didn’t have to work for it. Arnold thought Opie was a sap and triedtoshowhimhowtomanipulate Andy to get what he wanted; things like holding his breath, pretending to cry and stomping his feet. Andy, as we know, possessed integrity and good old common sense. He recognized Opie’s behavior for what was; a ploy to get his way. Andy and Barney followed the law and impounded Arnold’s bike for continuing to ride on the sidewalk after being warned. This resulted in a visit from Arnold’s father. Mr. Winkler soon comes to realize just how self-centered and arrogant his little boy is during the course of the conversation. When Andy threatens to lock up Mr. Winkler in the jail if he will not take responsibility for his son’s actions, Arnold defiantly tells Andy to go ahead and lock up his father if it means he will get his bike back. He admitted when questioned that he cared more about the bike than his father, shouting, “I want my bike!” Andy’s best line in the episode is: “The law’s the law, Mr. Winkler. Now, if we don’t teach children to live in society today, what’s gonna happen to ‘em when they grow up?” Well, we know what happens to them, they can become convicted felons who believe their admirers are saps and that laws do not apply to them. It takes parents with integrity to raise upstanding citizens and it requires citizens with integrity to make a democracy work.

Sadly, we are on the rocky path of becoming a society that takes more stock in opinion-driven media than rigorous fact checking and research. This is a dangerous condition for democracy. It has contributed to this state of confirmation bias where citizens believe anything that resembles their beliefs, caters to their fears or state of mind, regardless of whether it is fact or fiction.

The use of technology has contributed to the decline of our integrity. A person’s character is revealed when they possess a little power and for those who feel helpless, the internet is their muscle. All too often now, we see people, who may feel powerless, trying to harness the internet and social media in such a way as to bully people, businesses or local municipalities to bend to their will with the threat of creating negativity online. Whether they are right or wrong in their issues with others, businesses, city government or any entity, it’s the method with which they choose to wield that power that is a danger to us all. Even when we are correct in our convictions, there are proper channels to handle issues with integrity. If we are willing to bully or threaten to get our point across, we are no better than those we feel are in the wrong. The ends do not justify the means.

And unfortunately, lack of integrity and character shines like a beacon as the anonymity of the internet allows “keyboard warriors” to engage in the spreading of false information, cyberbullying and hate speech without consequences. Nothing brings these occasions out like an election year.

The one trusted news source that will never fail the public is their local newspaper. I’ve written many times about the importance of newspapers to our democracy and communities. For centuries, newspapers have always been there to inform and educate. An important role of newspapers is to protect citizens by supporting the public’s right to know what their local, state and federal government officials are doing, and the records kept.

The term “fourth estate” is used to describe the press and the freedom given to it by the First Amendment delivers the press from government control, but it carries with it an obligation to be a watchdog for citizens. No other form of media performs that role as effectively as your local newspaper. Television is considered news entertainment these days. Social media is an amusing distraction, full of fallacies and chatter, but certainly not news. It’s worrisome for our society that some people feel they are getting their news from social media apps that are not required to fact check “news”. Radio stations are being replaced by satellite radio that does not cover local issues. The role of watchdog will not be filled for those turning away from newspapers toward media outlets geared toward entertainment or the spreading of propaganda. Who would be watching out for local citizens if a newspaper was no longer there to follow community concerns?

We need to remember when the opinions of talking heads, politicians and loud voices are describing all that is wrong with America and what we should fear, that standing for what is right when it is unpopular is a true test of our integrity and character. Their sole goal is to divide us by creating a lack of trust that is eroding our country. Our democracy is not perfect, and it is certainly not uncomplicated, but nothing worth having is easy. If the Arnold Winklers of the world have their way, the decline of integrity will be our country’s undoing.

Pam Lowe is the editor of the Clay County Courier. Readers may contact her at plowe@cherryroad.com