Dear Editor
As many of you may know by now, with my appointment by the governor to be part of the Missouri Ethics Commission, I’ve stepped back from party-focused political action and public comment. Why? We as commissioners are tasked to oversee the ethics of our public servants and their political campaigns, so we can’t take sides between them.
But, frankly, because of those ethical obligations, as well as my obligations and experience as a Vietnam veteran, committed Catholic Christian citizen, teacher and advocate for commitment, service and informed citizenship, even though I’m old and feeble, I think I can offer us a simple “job description,” if we really want to be future-focused, caring and productive citizens of this beautiful, God blessed democracy/republic. Hey, I’m just an old codger trying to sell patriotism and good citizenship. So, let’s go:
1. Respect and value ourselves and everyone… and that means every single human being, whatever their color, ethnicity or belief system and everything in God’s kingdom, whether it and they may make us feel comfortable and especially if they make us uncomfortable or even afraid. That means no throwing mud at people or walls!
2. Trust only what and who we absolutely know to be trustworthy by their consistent, lifelong truthfulness with us and with every other human being they interact with. And make darned sure we’ve investigated it and them thoroughly and follow up periodically. No one’s perfect. But ask yourself, are they trying to learn and get better, or are they just going through the motions? Just because they say things we like or make us feel good doesn’t mean diddly (that’s kind of a technical term).
3. Learn everything we possibly can from and about those people, issues, concepts, organizations and entities whom the clear evidence has shown to be honest, trustworthy and worthwhile and run away as fast as we can from those who and which aren’t.
4. Commit ourselves with all our will and strength to work to help those who bring us joyful passion, pride and fulfillment, learning from and about and putting ourselves on the line for.
The outcome?
Respect prohibits discomfort and embraces learning.
Trust eliminates fear and hate and also embraces learning.
Learning gives us clear direction and leadership impetus for this God-blessed vehicle of world democracy and freedom, our beautiful, imperfect nation.
Commitment provides us the passion, will and strength to carry out our responsibility/mission to create a safer, more functional, more free, more perfect community, nation and world.
Good citizenship demands that we do all four.
And how long is this job?
Pretty simple. Just every minute of every day of our lives. If we don’t, hey, we’re just “green card” wetbacks, living off of and/or disrupting the hard work of real job-focused citizens of this beautiful nation.
Jim Martin
Perryville
