Honour and dishonour Rural Ramblings

Senator John McCain has passed away at the age of 81 after a lengthy battle with brain cancer. Regretfully I never met or talked to the man and as a journalist that is praise indeed. For I have met and talked to a great many politicians during my career. Many of which I wish I didn’t.

McCain stands out as a man of integrity, common sense, respect and honour that was prepared to work across party lines and speak out, somewhat of a rarity nowadays. He also recognised and said that solutions aren’t simple and take a lot of work. Slogans and one liners may draw in votes but usually they’re either unworkable or conveniently forgettable once office is attained.

We’re heading into an election year soon and the spin doctors will be weaving their webs and the speeches and photo ops will be many. I have been asked twice in the last few weeks to join a political party. I declined. I feel that my journalism ethics would be compromised if I was obligated to support a political party. I can and will reman objective throughout and not feel constrained to question anyone from any political leaning, left, right or centre. Like McCain I don’t think that any one person or party can have the answer. Some of it, most of it even but never all of it.

The Catholic church is in the headlines again. I’ve read that over $3.8 billion has been paid out in lawsuits over sex abuse allegations. The scandal won’t go away and neither should it. It’s not just the Catholic church either. Other denominations have or are likely to have cases exposed too. Some, many officials even, of religious organisations that we are taught to revere honour, trust and respect have used their office to sexually abuse children. That’s it pure and simple.

Those heinous acts look to have been compounded over the years by cover ups and payouts that have either allowed an offender to go somewhere else and repeat their foul behaviour and/or have the affairs swept under the carpet. It is little wonder that victims that have been traumatised for life are speaking out. I also have never understood how practicing priests, nuns or whatever else can be expected to be celibate. Clearly many of them aren’t so why continue the pretence?

Saying sorry, no matter who says it, doesn’t make it better or go away. Neither does payouts for hush money or compensation although victims may be able to have a better standard of living. Surely there must be regimens put in place including monitoring where sexual abuse is made difficult, hopefully impossible going forward. Victims want actions, not words.