Does ‘cannot tell a lie’ still matter?

“The cherry tree myth is the most well-known and longest enduring legend about George Washington. In the original story, when Washington was six years old, he received a hatchet as a gift and damaged his father’s cherry tree. When his father discovered what he had done, he became angry and confronted him. Young George bravely said, ‘I cannot tell a lie…I did cut it with my hatchet.’ Washington’s father embraced him and rejoiced that his son’s honesty was worth more than a thousand trees.”

That’s according to to George Washington’s own museum, at Mount Vernon, Virginia (mountvernon.org).

Flash forward well over 200 years, and despite the massive cynicism of today’s age, this legend is hardwired into our national character.

With that perspective in mind, let’s see what happens in the currently unfolding story on the other side of the Atlantic when a beautiful 300-year-old landmark tree along the ancient Hadrian’s Wall in England was clandestinely sawed down. The initially identified culprit is a sixteen-year-old boy.

When I have asked friends what the consequence should be for the young man, if convicted, opinions have varied from capital punishment to placing him in stocks. While I am far from an expert on English common law, a quick internet search revealed some potential that “…the 1405 Statute of Labourers…authorized placing troublesome laborers in the stocks…[and] use of the stocks apparently remains legal to this day.”

Think of the value of seeing the malefactor or malefactors placed in stocks, and then eggs and perhaps even small tree branches tossed in their direction. Think further of the potential for the practice to be spread back across the Atlantic. Perhaps some recently rebellious members of our House of Representatives would look better temporarily affixed right in front of the capital.

Dream on.

While we might not see the British tree-cutters or American House members in stocks, fortunately we do seem to have an example of an action by a public official that defies current “deflective politics” — my term for the practice of politicians blaming everyone besides themselves.

I nominate the act of the Canadian House Speaker, Anthony Rota, to resign after he had arranged for a 98year-old Ukrainian/Canadian to be introduced to a joint session of parliament, without realizing the man had fought in a Nazi military unit in World War II. CNN, in an article on September 26, quoted Rota as noting: “That public recognition has caused pain to individuals and communities, including the Jewish community in Canada and around the world, in addition to survivors of Nazi atrocities in Poland, among other nations…I accept full responsibilities for my actions.”

I suspect the spirit of George Washington’s father is smiling at such a display of character.