Responsibility... or accountability, if you prefer... often seems to me to be a dying value in America today.
Earlier I posted a blog entry in which I suggested that Sarah Palin and her PAC should be held responsible for yesterday's tragic shootings. A few friends on Facebook have replied that they don't agree.
When I was practicing law, I often served as an arbitrator in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas. I reluctantly concluded, after hearing many fender-bender and other personal injury cases, that most litigants only told the truth if they thought it was helpful to their cases or they knew they would get caught in a lie.
A teach-friend recently told me of a kindergartener (yes, a kid in kindergarten) who brought a big carving knife to school and told his teacher, "Chop... chop... chop." When the mother was called, she refused to come for her child. "He's your responsibility until the end of the day," she replied.
I believe that:
1. Palin, having permitted her PAC to post "targets" in her gun sight, should be held responsible when a follower puts this same opponent in his real gunsight. It was foreseeable.
2. Al-Alwaki can be held responsible, and targeted by the CIA, for his encouragement of acts of terrorism in the US.
3. For-profit universities should be held responsible for their graduates' obligations to repay federal loans, and should be made ineligible to participate in the federal loan programs if their grads aren't getting gainful employment.
4. Wall Street fat cats are responsible for protecting, preserving and growing our retirement funds. When they fail us, they should be made to disgorge their own personal, unearned, undeserved fortunes.
5. Uncle Sam is responsible for making it possible for every American to have decent housing, work, and health care.
That's what I believe. That's what I sincerely hope this Blog reflects.
No comments:
Post a Comment