The Personal Website of Mark W. Dawson

Virtue In America

03/17/21 Virtue Signaling

In the Presidential campaign of 2020, we saw a lot of verbal Virtue Signaling by the Biden campaign, but very few firm proposals on how they would implement their verbal Virtue Signaling. After two months of their administration, it is now possible to determine the virtuousness of their implementation. Alas, we now know that we had a Biden campaign of verbal Virtue Signaling but a Biden administration of non-virtuous actions.

The crisis at our southern border, as I have Chirped on “03/15/21 The Human Catastrophe of Illegal Immigration”, is the largest example of this non-virtuousness. The failure of not getting our children back to school is another prominent example, while the proposed legislation of “For the People Act of 2021” (the greatest misnomer of many misnomers of legislation) is an assault on our Free Speech Rights and the integrity of our elections. The misnomered “Equality Act” legislation currently under consideration is more verbal  Virtue Signaling that has negative repercussions on our society.

The ‘moderate’ Presidential candidate Biden of verbal Virtue Signaling has quickly morphed into an administration of non-virtuous actions by perhaps the most Progressive’ President in our history. I am in no way surprised by this morphing as Democrat Politicians and Progressives/Leftists are expert verbal Virtue Signalers but always morph into non-virtuous actions when they implement their policies.

06/27/21 Religion, Morality, Ethics, and Virtue within Government and Society

“I have lived, sir, a long time; and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this Truth, that God governs in the Affairs of Men!”
 - Benjamin Franklin

Today Benjamin Franklin is primarily thought of as Deist, and there is no doubt about his belief in Deism as he stated this in his autobiography. However, his Deism beliefs changed as a result of his involvement in the American Revolution and our founding, as reflected in the above quote. Franklin adhered to a religion that might be called doctrineless, moralized Christianity, as exemplified in the following quote:

“Here is my Creed. I believe in one God, creator of the Universe. That he governs it by his Providence. That he ought to be worshiped. That the most acceptable service we render him is doing good to his other children. That the soul of Man is immortal, and will be treated with justice in another life respecting its conduct in this.”
 - Benjamin Franklin

Many of our Founding Fathers were religious, and of the 56 men who signed the Declaration of Independence, nearly half (24) held seminary or Bible school degrees. Yet, they all understood that one’s religious beliefs were personal and not to be dictated by anyone nor any government. This is why the Freedom of Religion was integral to the First Amendment to the Constitution.

Morality, Character, and Virtue were equally important as Religion to our Founding Fathers. Our Founding Fathers held a specific meaning of these words:

• Morality - Motivation based on ideas of right and wrong.
• Character - The inherent complex of attributes that determines a person's moral and ethical actions and reactions.
• Virtue - The quality of doing what is right and avoid doing what is wrong.

Of these, Virtue was the most important for elected and appointed officials, as well as public servants, to practice in their public duties. Virtue was also important for the people to practice in order to retain our Liberties and Freedoms.

My new Article, “Religion, Morality, Character, and Virtue within Government and Society” examines these qualities and their importance in American society.

10/09/22 Financial Virtue in Public Office

There was a time in America that a successful and wealthy person in America would enter public service as a Congressperson or Executive Officer after they had achieved their wealth and success. Indeed, our Founding Fathers envisioned this scenario when they established our Democratic-Republic. This scenario did not play out as expected in the long run as the means to acquire wealth and success in America changed. At the time of our founding, most success and wealth were acquired by agrarian, mercantilism, and tradespersons or by inheritance means. During the Industrial Revolution (a period from around 1760 to about 1820–1840), the means of acquiring success and wealth increased significantly. Large-scale industrial and considerable financial investment means of acquiring success and wealth began to replace the previous means of acquiring success and wealth. Much of these industrial and financial means were indirectly (but sometimes directly) influenced by government activities (mostly internal infrastructure improvements and government procurements). In the twentieth century, direct government activities increased dramatically, and many people acquired success and wealth through their involvement in these government activities. Many other persons tracked and speculated financially on government activities and acquired success and wealth from these financial speculations.

Quite a few of these financial speculators do more than speculate; they often attempt to influence legislation and regulations that are beneficial to their speculations through their government lobbying activities. Indeed, it is often common for lobbyists to assist in the crafting of legislation and/or regulations that positively influence their financial speculations. Sometimes this influence is important and necessary to craft the legislation and/or regulations for the betterment of American society. However, oftentimes, these speculators' and lobbyists' personal interests take precedence over American societal interests. It is the duty and responsibility of Congresspersons and Executive Officers to ensure that parochial interests do not negatively impact American societal interests. However, sometimes, Congresspersons and Executive Officers have a personal financial interest in legislation and/or regulations through their own or their spouse's and family's financial investments. Indeed, a few powerful Congresspersons and Executive Officers have become wealthy through these personal financial interests. Many of our current wealthy elected and appointed officials had earned their wealth the old-fashioned way—before they entered office. Some, however, have become wealthy as a result of their government service.

A List of current members of the United States Congress by wealth and a List of richest American politicians makes for an interesting perusal if you discriminate between who entered into office wealthy and who obtained wealth during or after their elected office. The Clintons, The Obamas, The Bidens, the Pelosis, Al Gore, Dr. Anthony Falchi, and other Congresspersons and Executive Officers or powerful Executive branch employees have become wealthy as a result of their government positions or activities after government service that directly tied into their government service. The question is then how much of their wealth was gained through their government actions or influence upon government actions.

When the American people believe that the elected or appointed government officials are not acting on behalf of the American people but upon their own financial or other special interests, they become distrustful of the government. A distrust that quickly turns into cynicism, then dispiriting and destructive to American society. We used to depend upon the virtue of our Congresspersons and Executive Officers to curb this avarice, but virtue has seemed to disappear in American life, especially among Congresspersons and Executive Officers and the financial speculators and lobbyists. If anybody believes Congresspersons and Executive Officers protestations that they do not engage in these actions, and they are acting virtuously, then the believers are living in a fantasyland. Consequently, to curb this predicament, it has become necessary to pass legislation that regulates Congressperson and Executive Officer's financial activities while and after they leave office. If a Congressperson or an Executive Officer goes not want to undergo this scrutiny, then they should reconsider running for office or holding an executive position. Such should be the price of admission to elective or appointed governmental offices.

Such legislation would require that Congresspersons would adequately, and without loopholes, agree to be regulated or face judicial proceedings against themselves. It also has the question of interference in the spouse's and family member's Freedoms and Liberties to engage in the normal activities that other Americans are allowed under the law. This quandary may be exceedingly difficult to resolve legally, but timely, accurate, and comprehensive disclosure of Congresspersons and their spouses and immediate family member's finances would allow the American people to adjudge the actions of Congresspersons and Executive Officers to determine if they are acting virtuously.

12/18/22 Legislating Virtue

Virtue—The quality of doing what is right and avoiding what is wrong—seems to have receded in modern America. This may be because many people do not have a firm grasp on what is right or wrong. The fluidity of morals and ethics, as well as the judgment of character in modern America, has led to confusion as to what is right or wrong. This fluidity has also impacted the state of Virtue in America.

As I have written in my Article, “Religion, Morality, Character, and Virtue Within Government and Society”, Morality, Character, and Virtue were equally important as Religion to our Founding Fathers. Our Founding Fathers also held a specific meaning of these words:

• Morality - Motivation based on ideas of right and wrong.
• Character - The inherent complex of attributes that determines a person's moral and ethical actions and reactions.
• Virtue - The quality of doing what is right and avoiding doing what is wrong.

Of these, Virtue was the most important for elected and appointed officials, as well as public servants, in the practice of their public duties. Virtue was also important for the people to practice, as it is necessary for the retention of our Liberties and Freedoms, or as Benjamin Franklin stated, “Only a virtuous people are capable of freedom.”

Alas, as a result of this fluidity, we are now attempting to legislate Virtue into our laws, rules, and regulations. But Virtue cannot be legislated, as it must come from the Religion, Morality, and Character of a person. Any attempt to legislate Virtue is, therefore, doomed to failure, as you cannot legislate the thoughts and feelings of a person. Without Virtue, our republic is lost and aimless, as noted by one of our Founding Fathers:

“When public virtue is gone, when the national spirit is fled the republic is lost in essence, though it may still exist in form.”
 - John Adams

I am also reminded of another of John Adam’s words of wisdom:

“Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.”
 - John Adams

Consequently, Religion, Morality, Character, and Virtue are essential for Americans to retain and practice for our "American Ideals and Ideas" of "Freedoms, Liberties, Equalities, and Equal Justice for All" to persevere. Therefore, there should be more public discussion and education on the meaning and importance of Virtue in governmental affairs and the insistence that elected and public officials practice Virtue in the conduct of their public duties.

02/04/23 Prevarications

Prevarications: a statement that deviates from or perverts the truth; intentionally vague or ambiguous; the deliberate act of deviating from the truth, have become de facto in today’s society, especially in the political arena and in the Mainstream Media and the Mainstream Cultural Media.

Alas, Integrity (Moral soundness) and Virtue (The quality of doing what is right and avoiding what is wrong), along with good Character (The inherent complex of attributes that determines a person's moral and ethical actions and reactions), play little part in our political intercourse. Yet, integrity, virtue, and good character are personal attributes that will not allow for prevarication. Consequently, those that prevaricate are displaying their lack of integrity, virtue, and good character.

This is amply demonstrated in the last three Presidents and their Administrations. Presidents Obama, Trump, and Biden and their Administrations often prevaricated during their terms of office. Some prevarications are to be expected in politics, but a steady stream of prevarications is deceptions foisted upon the American public. These prevarications make it very difficult for the American people to discern the facts and truths to determine the best course for America. Bad decisions are made based on these prevarications, and the problems that beset America are not resolved because of these prevarications.

In the past, such prevarications by politicians were illuminated by the press, and the American public was better able to discern the prevarications. Today, however, the Mainstream Media had no compunction in attacking President Trump and his administration for their prevarications but has shown no such predilection in attacking President Obama and Biden and their administrations for their prevarications. Indeed, they have often supported President Obama and Biden’s prevarications through their supine acceptance of these prevarications and their reporting on the narrative rather than the facts, as I have Chirped on “01/23/23 Report the Narrative”. This is driven by the Mainstream Media's predilections for Progressives/Leftists and Democrat Party Leaders social policies and political agendas. In addition, the Mainstream Media have departed from objective reporting into advocacy reporting, as Jonathan Turley has written in his article “Objectivity Has Got To Go: News Leaders Call for the End of Objective Journalism”, along with other issues of journalism that I have examined in my Article, "Modern Journalism".

These political prevarications and advocacy journalism divide the American people and exacerbate the bitter partisanship that exists in America today. Until such political prevarications and advocacy journalism is dispensed with, it will be difficult for the American people to make wise decisions to fix the problems besetting America. The best way to resolve these problems is for integrity, virtue, and good character to be elevated in importance in American society and for politicians and reporters to put into practice integrity and virtue and to conduct themselves with good character. The American people can facilitate this change by not supporting and electing politicians who lack integrity, virtue, and good character and not consuming the news reporting of advocacy journalism.

11/22/23 Virtue and Character

Virtue is the quality of doing what is right and avoiding what is wrong. It is also a test of one’s character, which is the inherent complex of attributes that determines a person's moral and ethical actions and reactions. To be virtuous also requires that you do what you think is proper, notwithstanding all the pressures for you to do otherwise. As been said by one of our Founding Fathers (who practiced what he preached):

"Always stand on principle, even if you stand alone."
  - John Adams

As to character, we should remember what an American author who was best known for his inspirational book, ‘Life's Little Instruction Book’ has said:

“Our character is what we do when we think no one is looking.”
  -  H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

But both virtue and character require that you confront and admit the truths about yourself so that you can make a virtuous decision and act with character. However, if you should do this, then be forewarned:

"Man is always prey to his truths. Once he has admitted them, he cannot free himself from them."
  - Albert Camus

When adjudging a person’s virtue or character, we should always bear in mind:

"The words of a person are important to adjudge their virtue. However, the deeds of a person are important to judge their character. And deeds have much more of an impact than words. Or, as Benjamin Franklin has said, 'Well done is better than well said.'".
  - Mark Dawson

The strongest test of Virtue and Character is when it becomes necessary to confront wickedness or evil. Any person unwilling to confront wickedness or evil or to temporize or excuse wickedness or evil is a person without virtue or character. Such people who do so are complicit in the wickedness or evil of others. As two of the great Philosophers of the Enlightenment have stated:

"All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing."
 - attributed to Edmund Burke

“Bad men need nothing more to compass their ends, than that good men should look on and do nothing.”
 - John Stuart Mill

11/24/23 You Cannot Legislate Virtue, Character, or Ethics

In my previous Chirps on “11/22/23 Virtue and Character” and “11/23/23 Ethical Conduct”, I discussed the importance of Virtue, Character, and Ethics in our lives and society. While we have laws against conduct that harm others, it is not possible to legislate Virtue, Character, or Ethics, for "The Law is Not All". Virtue, Character, and Ethics exist above the law and are necessary for a just society, as I have discussed in my article "A Just Government and a Just Society". We should also remember what one of our Founding Fathers has said about this:

“If Men were angels, no government would be necessary. If angels were to govern men, neither external nor internal controls on government would be necessary. In framing a government which is to be administered by men over men, the great difficulty lies in this: you must first enable the government to control the governed; and the next place, oblige it to control itself.”
 - James Madison

Thus, Virtue, Character, and Ethics are necessary and above the law and as a foundation for the law. For those that would respond to their non-virtuous, lack of character, or ethical violations that they have done nothing illegal, I would respond that justice requires more than obedience to the law. While you may not face prosecutions for your transgressions of Virtue, Character, or Ethics, you deserve disdain from all who value justice.

There is also the question of the violation of the Natural Rights of others from non-Virtuous, Lack of Character, or Ethical violations, as I have discussed in my article "Natural, Human, and Civil Rights". To violate the Natural Rights of others while remaining within the law raises the question of a person’s Virtue, Character, or Ethics. These questions should make all wary of dealing with such a person. Thus, not only should a person remain within the confines of the law, but they should also constrict themselves to conduct which is of Virtue, Character, and Ethical.

As I cannot claim that I have lived a life of virtue, character, and ethics, especially in my youth, I can claim that since I have examined this issue in my early adulthood, I have tried to live a life of virtue, character, and ethics. As such, I can be at peace with myself for my past words and deeds, and I can recommend to all that they lead a Virtuous, Character-laden, and Ethical life as it will be rewarding.

11/25/23 Domains and Virtue, Character, and Ethics

We all have only one life to live, but in living our lives, we exist in several domains—the domains of a personal life, a family life, a friends’ life, a public life, and an employment life. These domains are shaped by our knowledge, understanding, and experiences in the domains of humanity—a Political Domain, the Religious and/or Philosophical Domains, the Economic Domain, the Scientific Domain, the Sports and Entertainment Domain, and the Artistic Domains (Literary, Fine Arts, Musical).

It is how we live in these domains that is a test of our Virtue, Character, and Ethics. There is no doubt that our words and deeds vary between these domains, but our virtue, character, and ethics should remain the same between and within these domains. To do otherwise is a betrayal of our Virtue, Character, and Ethics, which is demeaning to ourselves.

As the Bard has written:

“This above all: to thine own self be true.”
 – William Shakespeare in Hamlet

Most modern people interpret this saying as to mean to pursue that for which you are desirous and beneficial to yourself. But it means much more than this. It also has three other meanings; the first meaning is that someone can better judge themselves if they have done what they should or could have done. The second meaning is that one must be honest in their ways and relations. The third meaning is that one must always do the right thing.

As I have written in my Chirp on "05/17/20 Truth, Honesty, Character, and Courage Within Ourselves", Truth, Honesty, Character, and Courage are essential to becoming fully human. Without these items, you cannot be fully functional within yourselves and within society. You also cannot be truly Virtuous, Character-laden, and Ethical without remaining true to your Virtue, Character, and Ethics across the domains that you inhabit. Consequently, you should always be true to your own self in all its meanings.

01/09/24 Virtual Signaling without Virtue

With the cries throughout the world for a cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas conflict and a pause for humanitarian aid for the Palestine people, we have another example of virtual signaling without virtue. While calls for a cease-fire and peace sound virtuous, it should always be remembered that:

"Peace is not an absence of war, it is a virtue, a state of mind, a disposition for benevolence, confidence, justice."
  - Baruch Spinoza

As there is no disposition for benevolence, confidence, and justice with Israel amongst Hamas and the Palestine people, there is no virtue in calling for peace between the two sides. It is equivalent to calling for peace with Germany and Japan before World War II, in which peace would allow the German Nazis and Japanese Imperialists to continue their aggressions and murderous ways.

There have also been many calls for a two-state solution to the current crisis in Israel. However, this is nothing but a fable and virtual signaling. A fable in that you cannot have a two-state solution in which one state is dedicated to the eradication of the other state. It is not only the Hamas and the Palestine leadership that is dedicated to the eradication of Israel, but also a vast majority of the Palestine people also wish to eradicate Israel. Thus, those that call for a two-state solution are only virtue signaling, as the virtue of a two-state solution where one state is dedicated to the eradication of another state is not a virtue, but instead, it is a path to more violence against Israel.

The phrase “from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free” is nothing but a phrase for the elimination of Israel, for Israel is totally between the river and the sea. As it is used in the slogan, the word “free” is either an adjective or an adverb. It modifies either a condition or an action. Dictionaries offer us several definitions of “free” when used. If it is used as an adjective, it can refer to a right to self-governance, suggesting an absence of constraints, restrictions, or controls. When used as an adverb, it can mean the removal of an obstruction or of an unwanted feature. As Hamas and the Palestine people have never (along with other mid-East Arab states) been dedicated to self-government and the individual rights of its populace, we can only conclude that the word “free” in this phrase means the removal of Israel.

The call for humanitarian aid to the Palestine people is also virtual signaling, as much of this humanitarian aid is directed into Hamas coffers, which is then utilized for terrorism purposes. Thus, humanitarian aid to the Palestine people is allowing them to continue their attempts to eradicate Israel. The Palestine people must bear the burden of the Hamas terrorists they supported and allowed to operate in their midst, and until Hamas is eliminated and the Palestine people adopt the meaning of free as self-government and the individual rights of its populace, and peaceful coexistence with Israel, humanitarian aid is counterproductive to peace.

For those who claim the situation in the Hamas-Israel conflict is complex, I am reminded of the thoughts of the famed Rabbi Jonathan Saks: 

“The Israeli Hamas conflict is not complex.
It's very simple: One side wants the other side dead.”
 - Rabbi Saks

When one side wants the other side dead, it is not virtuous to support the side that wants the other side dead. Thus, calling for a cease-fire, a two-state solution, and humanitarian aid for the Palestine people is not virtuous and, indeed, it is immoral.

05/03/24 Virtue In America

In an article by Mark Lewis, “Have You Ever Heard Any Current Politician Use the Word 'Virtue'?”, he states:

“My dear friends, if you want to know how America has gotten so far off the track, where our beloved country has lost its way, why there is so much moral decadence, so many utterly corrupt, self-centered, power-hungry politicians, and a largely ignorant, gullible citizenry, the majority of whom don’t seem to know what is really happening, then please read the following quotes. Each of them is from James Madison, one of the greatest minds in our history, and the man given the most credit for writing our Constitution and establishing the government we were supposed to have.”

The five quotes of Madison that he utilizes are:

“I go on this great republican principle, that the people will have virtue and intelligence to select men of virtue and wisdom.”
 - James Madison

“If a man is not fit to govern himself, how can he be fit to govern someone else?”
 - James Madison

“Is there no virtue among us? If there be not, we are in a wretched situation. No theoretical checks--no form of government can render us secure. To suppose that any form of government will secure liberty or happiness without any virtue in the people, is a chimerical idea.”
 - James Madison

“The advancement and diffusion of knowledge is the only guardian of true liberty.”
 - James Madison

“The aim of every political constitution is, or ought to be, first to obtain for rulers men who possess most wisdom to discern, and most virtue to pursue the common good of the society, and in the next place, to take the most effectual precautions for keeping them virtuous whilst they continue to hold their public trust.”
 - James Madison

His comments on these quotes are quite illuminative of the current state of virtue in America. I have also written an Article, “Religion, Morality, Character, and Virtue within Government and Society”, along with my collected Chirps on "Virtue in America", which examines the state of virtue in America. In Mark Lewis’s article, he also states that:

“If people aren’t taught virtue, honesty, self-control, respect for property, industry, truth, and goodness, then they will have none of these qualities.  And, again I ask, when was the last time you heard ANY politician in America, on either side of the aisle, encouraging Americans towards the absolute necessity of a virtuous, godly, self-controlled life?”

And:

“An unvirtuous people with no self-control will produce societal chaos, i.e., America in 2024. And a society in chaos will cry out for greater government to protect it.”

In his article he concludes:

“The answer is the one Madison taught us:  to educate our people in virtue and elect leaders of wisdom and virtue. If that is even possible any more.”

Alas, virtue in America has seemed to have been relegated to the ash heap of history. But without reestablishing virtue in America, it is not possible to properly address the issues and concerns facing America, or as James Madison has also warned:

“To suppose that any form of government will secure liberty or happiness without any virtue in the people, is a chimerical [imaginary] idea.”
 - James Madison