Stick to Your Guns!!!

I know what all of you are thinking before you even start reading this blog.  “Its another one of those dang gun activists.” Don’t go calling the NRA or your local congressman.  You can put down your AK-47 because there won’t be any gun talk in this read.  I’m talking about sticking to your morals and what is ethically right.  I’m talking about honesty and transparency.

I am so sick of hearing story after story or criminal acts happening in sports, corporate America, politics, etc and what does everyone do?  They see the dirt happen right in front of their eyes and then they take out their little kitchen broom and sweep it under the desk thinking that just maybe nobody will find out.  This kind of stuff happens every second of the day but if you are unsure of what I am referring to let me give you a few examples

Example 1:  Jerry Sandusky at Penn State molests over 50 children and the coach, AD and President hear about these acts.  Fearful, of actually having to act upon this and their university getting any bad publicity, they do the cowardly thing and sweep it under the desk and go on.

Example 2:  You are the head of finances for a large corporation.  The pressure to record a net profit for the year is high.  You are looking over the final records passed onto you by your CEO and notice that there has definitely been some “fudging” of the numbers going on.  Fearful of what other people would think if you disclosed this or fearful you could lose your job, you decide to just let it go and sweep it under your desk.

Example 3: Manti Teo, the Notre Dame linebacker has a 3yr phone relationship with someone he has never met but some how falls deeply deeply in love with.  She is on her death bed but he never goes and sees her but like “Rudy” plays his heart out for her, just like she told him to do on the phone. Millions of people latch onto his story. Then on Dec 6th, 4th months after the girl dies over the phone, he finds out that she really never existed.  From Dec 6th on until the media broke the story, Manti just swept the truth under the desk and played along with the story, hoping that people wouldn’t find out.

All of these stories make me sick to my stomach.  Those that know me well know that I am the most honest person you’ll meet. You want to know why I am honest?  Two reasons:

First, I put all of my trust in people every day and if I couldn’t trust myself than how am I supposed to trust anyone else. Also, honesty is a characteristic of a human being. A characteristic of integrity and of strength.

Secondly, I am honest because I don’t “AVOID” my problems.  People fear actually stepping up to their problems and dealing with them.  Avoiding the problem is much easier at the present time so they just sweep it under the desk for another time.   STICK TO YOUR GUNS, be truthful to yourself and others and don’t sweep them under the desk!

If you are one of these people that have trouble dealing with reality and confronting your problems or moral issues, I will tell you this.  The truth often hurts.  It can even put you in very difficult situations when you confront it.  BUT, nothing hurts more than not telling the truth or being dishonest to yourself and then living with the horrible feeling everyday of your life in the future.