ethics |ˈeθiks|I was actually surprised to find this word in my online dictionary. Any dictionary for that matter. It seems to be all but forgotten in the mess unfolding in Wisconsin.
plural noun1 [usu. treated as pl. ] moral principles that govern a person's or group's behavior : Judeo-Christian ethics.• the moral correctness of specified conduct : the ethics of euthanasia.2 [usu. treated as sing. ] the branch of knowledge that deals with moralprinciples.
The situation there has gone far beyond whether or not you are pro-union. It's dealing with ethical behavior on all counts. First the legislators for running out on their obligation - tending to the business of the people. Think what a mess the entire country would be in if every time one party or the other skipped town because they didn't have the votes to get their way. It's bad enough as is.
Then there are the teachers who are breaking the law by calling in sick so they can attend the protests rather than teaching. I've already had my say about what their actions are teaching the children under their charge.
Now there is a new wrinkle. Doctors have arrived on the scene to write notes for the protesters verifying they are indeed ill. By most counts that constitutes fraud but when questioned some of the more smug have ready answers and challenges for the reporters. One being the consultations are between doctor and patient and therefore privileged. Never mind neither have seen the other before nor are likely to again! The other being that the protesters are obviously under stress which could be considered a medical condition. I'd be under stress too if I were blatantly breaking the law and worried about who might see me.
Every once in awhile happenings occur which make me feel every bit of my age and very much out of step with today's world. This is such a case. The doctors' actions are the final straw. I cannot find any reasonable explanation that makes any of the above behaviors acceptable.
It makes me wonder where this country is headed. Law makers who hide rather than stand up for what they feel is right, win or lose. Teachers who lie. Teachers who walk away from their students. Doctors who are willing to commit fraud openly and publicly. No wonder there is so much in medicare!
Ethics. With so many new words becoming common place in our vocabulary, wouldn't it be nice if there was still a place for some old classics? Twitter. Tweet. Social networking. Somehow, to me, they lack the good solid feel of a word like "ethics". Say it. See what you think.
5 comments:
ethic and common sense went out the window years ago... sadly.
Once again, I share your pain! What do we expect from kids, when the adults are acting childishly?
I believe the teachers are teaching their students to stand up for themselves. The story about the doctors writing prescriptions for teachers was false. A few doctors told Fox news that, then laughed about the way Fox fell for it.
The teachers are not being greedy. They agreed to take cuts in their pay and raise their pension payments. All they want is to be able to bargain.
On the other hand, this governor gave some of his staff some really nice big raises and also cut the taxes on Wal Mart. Then he expects the middle class to pay for the deficit. I think the rich as well as the middle class should have to pay...and especially Wal Mart, who got a multimillion dollar tax break.
We'll have to agree to disagree on this. The doctors standing on the corner, by the way, were on more than Fox. I sorely disagree that breaking the law, lying and fraud is the way to tesch students to stand up for themselves.
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