Responsibility, Accountability and Integrity

[OneGrassRoot]

(I'm the author of this article and thus give permission for it to be posted in its entirety :))



There is so much talk of “personal responsibility” these days, usually as part of politically charged discussions, with many suggesting that anyone suffering in these economic times is responsible for their situation, having made poor choices, being “lazy,” wanting a “handout,” etc.

The specter of the Reagan-era phrase “welfare queen” has been ushered back into our national dialogue with a fury.

While there are no doubt people — of ALL income levels — who fit those descriptions, I do believe the vast majority of people want to support themselves and their families through their own efforts and work. Most are in dire straits through no fault of their own, other than being a part of a system that is no longer effective for or supportive of the majority of citizens.

The phrase “personal responsibility” is often used as a tool to demean those who are struggling, and to provide an excuse to turn away from suffering and injustices for those who aren’t.

At the end of this article are links to just a few of many examples of individuals whose daily struggles are beyond what most of us can comprehend, yet they acted with integrity, personal responsibility and accountability.

They realized that their personal responsibility went beyond taking care of themselves and extended to being responsible and accountable to others. They simply did the right thing, an action that most citizens in a decent society would do, in spite of their extreme personal struggle.

Doing the right thing is a personal responsibility.

I suggest we look at this phrase and re-evaluate it for our modern times. Is it truly an admirable trait when we define personal responsibility in terms of strictly “taking care of one’s own”? When one person has multiple vacation homes and a $50 million yacht, should he/she be admired as being responsible because they don’t need help in their daily lives (or do they, via corporate welfare or estate and other tax laws?), or are the examples below a better example of authentic personal responsibility?

I say the latter is a better, much more authentic example of personal responsibility, as well as The Golden Rule, being a valuable citizen, being a decent human being, etc.

I suggest we start to look at the bigger picture and realize that it is our personal responsibility to see ourselves as part of a community and be responsible to that community and work towards more cooperation.

There is indeed a revolution brewing, and it starts with us. A revolution – an evolution – of compassion and cooperation.

http://www.boston.com/news/local/breaking_news/2010/12/story_about_hom.html?fb_ref=blogent&fb_source=home_oneline

http://www2.counton2.com/news/2010/dec/09/homeless-man-summerville-finds-bag-money-returns-i-ar-1187393/

http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2010/11/17/20101117tempe-homeless-man-returns-money1119.html


http://wishadoo.com/wp-responsibility-accountability-and-integrity

[Fire Walk With Me]

1. Well-said!

Each and every act of promoting higher ideals brings them forward into the spotlight.

So far as this goes personally, I'm a hypocrite in that I have problems for which I have no solution other than to continue on, attempting to do something positive instead. I'm attempting to learn, and as such, it is positive change.

You have well-portrayed the republican more of "More", or "More for me"; the selfishness and wish to float above everyone else, then to judge those at a "lower" level.

It is to remind: You may judge a society by how it treats its weak.

[OneGrassRoot]

3. Thank you...

:hi:

[cate94]

2. K & R

[Tsiyu]

4. It feels better to be part of community

The give and take is what develops a person.

When it's "all take" or "all give" a human can't develop properly.

Or as I like to say, and not in an overly idealistic way, but in a truthful way:

Where every life is not sacred, no life is sacred.


Edit to add: And by life I mean: from birth. I am staunchly pro-choice.