Advertisement 1

DeJONGHE: Pants on fire!

Article content

When Admiral Grace Hopper said, “It’s easier to ask forgiveness than to get permission,” she was referring to the many levels of the military hierarchy one had to get through which, she felt, often hampered getting things done.

Advertisement 2
Story continues below
Article content

Many pretenders and schemers hope this works for them when they do what they want, when they want.  I learned a long time ago when someone says they are sorry after an infraction, it means very little. If you know you shouldn’t be doing it. You might be sorry you got caught but not for your wrongdoing. This might not apply to all mishaps but is often also the case for what some folks refer to as a mistake, accident or poor judgment.

It doesn’t matter if it’s simple house or work rules and regulations, promises and vows or legislative laws and orders, we all know right from wrong.  Though we have each, at one time or another, failed and needed forgiveness, we should have learned to not repeat the offence. Some do, some don’t ever learn. An apology does not resolve anything. But maybe that’s just me.

Article content
Advertisement 3
Story continues below
Article content

Those in authority can sometimes believe that power gives them permission to avoid the rules set out for the rest of us. I did on occasion tell a high school teacher, “Because you are older and more educated, does not mean you are better than me!” Yeah, I did and, as you might imagine, it did not garner me any favours but I still hold that opinion to be true.

Our government officials are not above or better than the rest of us. We hired them because we thought they had the education, the experience and the influence to guide us through good times and bad. Our vote of confidence did not give them licence to ignore the rules or to do things the rest of us are not allowed to do. Some have shown clearly their sense of privilege overruled their fidelity to us. Apologizing or stating it was a bad mistake just isn’t going to cut it. They should be walking down the road talking to their lunch bucket. And have their benefits rescinded. Whether it be government types or just us ordinary folks, swift and stern consequences should be applied if rules are not followed.

Considering what’s going on in the outside world, even with our many punishable legislative and personal transgressions, you still gotta be glad you’re living in Canada.

twocentsworth40@gmail.com

Article content
Comments
You must be logged in to join the discussion or read more comments.
Join the Conversation

Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion. Please keep comments relevant and respectful. Comments may take up to an hour to appear on the site. You will receive an email if there is a reply to your comment, an update to a thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information.

Latest National Stories
    News Near Tillsonburg
      This Week in Flyers