Today's hypocrisy

Dear editor:

When I was growing up in a middle-class, Presbyterian-Catholic household in the deep South, I understood that hypocrisy was not a good thing. It raised its ugly head often, particularly in the politics and social mores of New Orleans and Louisiana. I saw hypocrites early on, especially on TV. And though not one of the seven deadly sins, hypocrisy clearly devolved from several -- particularly pride, envy, wrath and greed.

I don't understand why hypocrisy means so little to so many today. How many times have we excused our politicians and leaders for saying one thing, then doing another. Or telling a lie, then denying it, then creating a falsehood and then rendering it real. Why do we have new hierarchies -- hypocrite-leaders, hypocrite-messengers, hypocrite-followers? Have we lost the simple ability to judge honesty from dishonesty? Have we reached such a bottom that hypocrisy is the new salvation?

I think some people just don't care. It seems obvious to me that this administration has a goal, and in its pursuit, hypocrisy is its key weapon. For those of you who need the Bible's perspective, visit Matthew 7:1-5.

Headline examples are legion -- Chaffetz's probes are nonprobing; Trump knew about Flynn; Conway double-talks; Spicer has "alternative facts." What's this McCain blood feud? Why not let Nordstrom tend to its own business? And what about the Russian hacking probe, and the Trump business ethics conflict probe, and the longest lingering hypocrisy -- where are the taxes?

I thought we were better and smarter and more caring than this. We all need to help to make our world better and safer. But we need civil discourse. We do not need anarchy at the top. Why does this feel like government-by-antagonism. None of us voted to hold hypocrisy in high esteem!

There's an obvious reason that Dante, in his epic Inferno, populated the dark reaches of the eighth circle of hell with hypocrites -- clothed in magnificent religious garb, lined with lead, doomed to walk bent over following the same path to nowhere forever (Canto 23). Somehow, that does not seem harsh enough!

Michael Preble

Hot Springs

Editorial on 02/19/2017

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