Irregular Times Diaries: Unfit Discussion
In a time of the spring, old paths are obscured and new growth begins.
Irregular Times Diaries: Unfit DiscussionIn a time of the spring, old paths are obscured and new growth begins.
I’ve been reading the diaries on IT for the past few months and find “it” somewhat intriguing and semi-addicting to see what others are thinking politically, environmentally and culturally. However, my oldest child (who is still in elementary school) recently asked me, “Mom, can you name the only two honest Presidents our country has ever had?” I thought I knew the answer until he proved me wrong. Then, it made me stop and think for a moment how important it was to a 9-year-old that I get the answer right. I didn’t want to fail him, and yet, I didn’t want to look stupid either. Parents are supposed to know everything, especially when it comes to being honest. Isn’t that what we teach our children? Our future leaders? Honesty is the best policy? Short of a complete answer, I asked him if I could mail him the answer! He thought that was funny and agreed! So, I would like to hear who you honestly think were the only two honest Presidents our country has ever had.
(220 votes, average: 3.03 out of 5)
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January 23rd, 2007 at 8:02 am
It’s not just presidents - I don’t think most people are honest. Truthfully, that’s not always a bad thing. I think what matters more than pure honesty is the intention of dishonesty. Government process should be open so that we don’t have to count on individuals in government to be virtuous.
Those people who claim to be honest are not being honest with themselves.
I don’t know which presidents were more or less honest. That’s the way things are in a dishonest world.
January 23rd, 2007 at 8:19 am
Everybody’s dishonest sometimes. Everybody’s honest some times.
George W. Bush was honest when he said, “Hello, my name is George W. Bush.”
Abraham Lincoln was dishonest when he said, “No, Mary Todd, that dress doesn’t make your calves look large.”
January 23rd, 2007 at 2:45 pm
If the answer is for a nine-year-old, it would probably be “Honest Abe” Lincoln and George Washington (”I cannot tell a lie, I chopped down that cherry tree”).
I have never heard of any dishonesty Lincoln was ever involved in, although I guess he suffered from depression. But Washington I believe owned slaves and also was employed by a surveying company beyond what was then the Western border. The rumor is his land dealings influenced his Indian policy with regard to westward expansion and ignoring treaties with Indians. I don’t know if you can connect that with honesty, but you can certainly connnect it with morality, or what we today consider to be ethical.
I don’t find people in general to be dishonest. There are ways to express unwelcome information diplomatically. I do go to church, so maybe that affects my perspective.
Why lie? What would be the point? Sooner or later someone would find out you had lied, then no one would believe you if you ever did decide to tell the truth.
January 24th, 2007 at 12:25 am
Washington and Jefferson are good examples, yes they owned slaves but belived in freedom of men. something you might want to talk about with your child, scholors have beed debating it for years. also Carter, i think was an honest man. a completly honest man is rare, whatever the time period.
April 22nd, 2007 at 12:20 am
They owned slaves but believed in freedom of men?