Character Counts and Truth Matters

There is an old adage in the Army which goes, “A unit assumes the character traits of its commander,” and this is true. During my time in the service, I served under many commanders; some good, some bad, and some indifferent. Though most enjoy the privilege of command, some officers do not make the cut. Their character and actions render them untrustworthy. While there are multiple facets that go into the screening process, one of the most common failures is an inability to tell the truth. This shows up in a variety of ways; but, at the core lies a fearfulness which leads one to obfuscate or prevaricate. The Army does not want an officer with significant character flaws influencing their command. As time passes, a commander exerts tremendous influence on their subordinates. From one degree to another, subordinates emulate their commander. I’ve worked for commanding officers who exemplified the highest standards of character and professionalism. Their units soon took on those excellent character traits. I had a sterling commander replaced by a mean-spirited churlish officer who viewed the command as a stepping stool for bigger and better things. Inexorably the battalion changed, becoming a dark and dangerous place to work, a place where officers, NCOs, and soldiers frequently turned on each other to gain some sort of advantage. This is why character counts and truth matters.

Our duly elected president is not a man of high character. I know that some will use the moral-equivalency argument to dismiss this; but, to do so is disingenuous. Yes, we are all failed individuals. None of us are perfect; but, some of us have a higher quality of character than others. We use the moral-equivalency argument as a mere fig-leaf designed to avoid having to account for character flaws. The failures of past individuals in power is no excuse to accept current failure. No matter how you measure, President Trump does not set the example of a man of high moral fiber. One of his most glaring failures is his mendacity. This is not some sort of stress-induced failure. His public life is littered with fabrication and lies. And while we all fail at one time or another, his public utterances are a continual stream of falsehoods. If I was still in the Army and he was a subordinate, I could not in good conscience assign him a position of authority due to his deceitfulness. Yet, here we are with him as our president, influencing the executive branch remaking it in his own image.

Those in his cabinet, and other high-ranking departmental officials, must agree to his continual lie that he won the election in 2020, despite all the evidence to the contrary. They must embrace this untruth to serve. Consequently, we have an entire cabinet and many other high-ranking officials who are untethered to the truth. This mendacity renders any communications from the executive branch suspect. How can I trust them when they had to promulgate a lie just to get the job. I must view anything that they say with suspicion, even when they say or do something that I agree with. This outrageous behavior continues.

Most recently the President, his spokesman, and staff blame the Ukraine for causing the invasion by Russia. This blatant lie has reverberated around the globe, shocking and angering. Eager to secure the President’s goodwill, many in the blogosphere have engaged in a wide variety of machinations in order to support this fabrication. Whatever the geopolitical cause, Russia did invade the Ukraine and to say otherwise only further erodes trust and confidence in our governmental institutions. Despite the passage of time, character and the ability to handle the truth remain foundational traits for a leader. We must call on leaders at all levels to strengthen their character and cleave unto the truth. If we fail to do so, we will live with chaos, and it will continue until we demand better behavior from our leaders.