The dictionary defines hypocrisy as "the practice of claiming to have moral standards or beliefs to which one's own behavior does not conform; pretense." And, Wikipedia says "Hypocrisy is the contrivance of a false appearance of virtue or goodness while concealing real character or inclinations, especially with respect to religious and moral beliefs; hence, in a general sense, hypocrisy may involve dissimulation, pretense, or a sham."
I think that these definitions are pretty clear, and what is even clearer is how abundantly hypocrisy exists in America today. You don't have to look very far to see hypocrisy everywhere in today's hypersensitive society.
One stark example is Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi. She recently called for President Trump to postpone his annual State of the Union Address until the government reopens. She just didn't think it was right for the speech to go forward.
But, she didn't see anything wrong with going on an overseas excursion with several Democratic members of Congress for seven days. "Going" is the proper term because President Trump said that he didn't think that was appropriate while 800,000 federal employees were not receiving pay, so he canceled authorization on her military transport. Of course, Pelosi and the others were not so pleased.
So, what did she expect -- to have her cake and eat it too? If you think it would be prudent to postpone the State of the Union Address, why should it be proper to go on a junket overseas? Can you smell the scent of hypocrisy?
And while you're at it, why not plan a Democrat retreat in Puerto Rico while all of these employees are working without pay? That's just what they did -- enjoyed the beach and had fun instead of worrying about federal employees. Maybe not the best of appearances and maybe just a little hypocrisy.
Hey, I'm not saying only the Democrats have hypocrites, but they are acting like they are taking the "high road" and then pull these stunts. In my mind, these things are not anywhere near the "high road."
I don't know when this whole mess is going to end, but this much I do know: we have to stop kicking the can of immigration reform down the road for someone else to clean up. Obama, in 2014, said we had a crisis at the border and the media was supportive of him. Trump, in 2018, says we have a crisis at the border and the media acts like he's mad.
Do you want to talk about hypocrisy? Don't think you get any more hypocritical than a liberal media that hates anything and everything conservative. This much I do know, anyone who buys the "stuff" that many are trying to shovel that Trump should open the government and then the Dems will negotiate, must have had their heads in the sand the last few years.
If someone believes that there would be any kind of meaningful negotiation under this scenario, please come see me. I have some beach-front property I will sell you for bargain prices. Come on folks, is there anyone out there that naive?
I don't like what is happening, but someone has to draw a true line in the sand -- not like the one that Obama drew that was more of a suggestion than a line. Enough is enough -- let's start acting like leaders, fix this thing and go on to other issues.
Pelosi and Schumer think that a wall is old-fashioned and that there are better ways to have border security. But, a drone or electronic monitor is great for telling us when someone crosses the border but how do we stop them after they cross? There is a difference between monitoring and enforcement, and that is the little sleight of hand with which they want to fool us.
I have said before that, if you can't win an argument on the facts, then just call names and yell. And now the new names are "immoral" and "a wall is not what we are as a nation." These are catch phrases for "let's have open borders." Quit being quite so hypocritical and just come out and say what you mean instead of hiding behind false rhetoric.
I'm tired of all of this -- I really am. I wish we had adults on both sides of the aisle that would actually work together and solve our problems instead of resorting to pettiness and small-minded games.
I shudder to think what Washington, Jefferson, Adams and Franklin would have to say about the mess we have made for ourselves. Franklin was approached by a group of citizens asking what sort of government the delegates had created. His answer was, "A republic, if you can keep it."
We have kept it for nearly 250 years through a lot of sacrifices. If we can keep it much longer is very much in doubt.
Kevin Wilson is a former state representative who was born in Goodman and now lives in Neosho. Opinions expressed are those of the author.
Editorial on 01/31/2019