Recent Gallup Polls indicate that 54 percent of those polled believe that the state of moral values in the U.S. is poor. And 83 percent of those polled believe that moral values in the U.S. are getting worse. The most common response as to why this is so is consideration of others. Other reasons include lack of religion, racism, sense of entitlement, and lack of solid family structure. Cable news and social media also focus much more on negative news—murders, break-ins, racial slurs, and altercations, also contributing to a sense of moral decline.
In his inaugural address of 1861, Abraham Lincoln said, “The mystic chords of memory, stretching from every battlefield and patriot grave to every living heart and hearthstone all over this land, will yet swell the chorus of the Union, when again touched, as surely, they will be, by the better angels of our nature.” Ronald Reagan said, “America is a shining city upon a hill whose beacon light guides freedom-loving people everywhere.”
Today, I see fewer better angels circling the U.S. And our light shines much dimmer now.
In days gone by, cabinet nominees failed to be confirmed by the Senate or withdrew their nominations for what in today’s world would be considered minor infractions.
Zoe Baird, Clinton’s nominee for Attorney General, withdrew her nomination because it became known that she hired an undocumented worker in her household.
Kimba Wood, Clinton’s second nominee for Attorney General also hired an undocumented worker but she did so before it became illegal. Even so, she withdrew her nomination.
Linda Chavez, George Bush’s nomination for Secretary of Labor, withdrew her nomination because it became known that she gave money to an undocumented worker who lived in her household. (There is some irony here as the President-Elect has employed numerous undocumented workers in New York City, Westminster, Philadelphia, Westchester County and Jupiter, FL. For six months, undocumented Polish workers cleared the ground where the eventual Trump Tower would be erected.)
Tom Daschle, Obama’s nominee for Health and Human Services, withdrew his nomination over $140,000 worth of unpaid taxes. (The President-Elect’s nominee for U.S. Ambassador to France, Charles Kushner, Ivanka’s husband’s father, pled guilty to 18 counts of illegal campaign contributions, tax evasion, and witness tampering, was sentenced to two years in prison, and was pardoned by Trump in 2020.)
Al Franken resigned as senator of Minnesota because when he was a comedian a woman accused him of groping her while a photograph was taken.
In today’s world, nominees and even the President-Elect can have felony convictions, sexual assault charges, conflicts of interest, drug addiction and conspiracy theories galore, and Americans don’t blink an eye. If a presidential appointee can’t get the appropriate level of security clearance, the president can simply override the necessity for having one and hire the person anyway.
So why have our standards dropped so low? Why is America now OK with seriously flawed nominees with questionable backgrounds and ethics?
Some sociologists attribute this laxness in standards to the belief that for many Americans political expediency trumps personal integrity. So, for example, if your main priority is the price of eggs and a secure border, you are willing to settle for less honorable politicians.
Some scholars attribute the growing lack of civility in today’s politics to three occurrences: the gerrymandering of state and congressional districts which creates more “safe” constituencies for each party; the primary voting system that bases candidate selection on the participation of the most extreme partisans; and the campaign finance laws that redirect large campaign funds to extreme political interest groups. These three changes in governance have led to ever increasing polarization of the parties and consequently less civility.
In an editorial for The New York Times, Thomas Friedman wrote about how American politicians no longer feel shame for committing misdeeds. The days when politicians apologize for wrongdoings, do penance, and often resign their posts are long gone. (Matt Gaetz resigned from the House of Representatives only because he thought he would be the next Attorney General and then withdrew that nomination which surprisingly was a bridge too far for a few Republicans.)
I know I will be beset by naysayers, but I am embarrassed by my country today. And I’m disgusted by the mean-spirited and downright cruel posts I saw on Thanksgiving Day. I long for the days when we treated our political adversaries with dignity and respect on both sides of the aisle. I want integrity and honesty always to be front and center. I want to applaud acts of kindness. I want all of us to commit to making the world a better, safer, cleaner, more welcoming, and inclusive place to live. I want us to encourage our children and family and friends to show compassion and empathy. These qualities are not weaknesses. They are strengths to be encouraged and celebrated.
Sowing more division and seeking retribution have never been the answers. Searching for common ground is a first step in getting back to the basics of true civil discourse. It starts by finding small areas of agreement, collaborating on solutions to problems, and building upon progress made. (I saw this premise in action when I was the Human Resources Director for the largest peacebuilding nonprofit Search for Common Ground.)
My hope is that as a country we can once more be seen as “better angels” whose “beacon light guides freedom-loving people everywhere.” I fear it will be a long time coming.
Maria Grant was principal-in-charge of the federal human capital practice of an international consulting firm. While on the Eastern Shore, she focuses on writing, reading, music, and nature.
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