An Endangered Species
This piece by Bernard Berney is published in the current edition of The Bridge magazine. It is republished here by kind permission of the author.
It is amazing the way the public consensus of what is right and wrong can invade your own strongly held moral convictions. Witness how our attitude to premarital sexual relationship has changed. Even the most conservative among us now harbours some doubt about the rights and wrongs of such activities. Similarly, homosexuality has become an accepted part of the human condition and the right of homosexual people to engage in sexual acts is now the subject of considered argument. There is a large constituency in favour of the belief that single sex marriages should be officially recognised and partners of such arrangements should be allowed to adopt children.
I am making no judgement on the rights or wrongs of any of the above issues. I am just quoting them as extraordinary examples of how public opinion can be manipulated, over a relatively short period, by the leadership of powerful people supported by a sympathetic media.
My intention is to highlight the importance of good leadership in the spiritual and temporal growth of our nation. In today's world our moral values are influenced by our temporal leaders just as much, if not more, than by our spiritual leaders. Therefore, Bertie Ahern carries a responsibility way beyond the provision of jobs and income for us. It was always so. But, in the past, the church wielded a powerful influence in the area of personal morality, and the Government was absolute at one with the Church. Such an arrangement was not ideal due, in part, to errors in the Church's understanding. Nowadays, the State, personified by Bertie, holds the position of greater influence. It is, therefore, vital that the Government promotes, by its words and actions, honesty, integrity, fair dealings and an understanding of the essential value of the human spirit. Can we expect such leadership from Bertie Ahern?
On his election as Taoiseach he immediately signals his intention to welcome Beverly Cooper-Flynn back into Fianna Fail and indicates that she will be given the position of Junior Minister. He denigrates the work of the Mahon Tribunal and suggests that it should be immediately ended before it concludes its investigations. There is evidence of possible dishonesty by Bertie himself. Yet nobody cares. We no longer expect righteous behaviour from our leaders. We have gradually become inured to all sorts of dishonesty. Because none of us can claim to be free of all faults we are encouraged to view the apparent lack of integrity and lack of moral judgement in our leaders as a mere reflection of the way we are which, indeed, it is. What we are not allowed to consider is that leadership, by its very definition, must encourage us to be better than we are.
Bertie Ahern and his Cabinet should be the source of our inspiration to good citizenship. Simply by witnessing their commitment to the common good, their unselfish and altruistic endeavours to better the lives of others, we should be inspired to be better people. If our leaders do not affirm the basic principles of right and wrong they will lead us into a world of moral anarchy, a world where whatever you choose to do is right and wrongdoing is incapable of definition. In such a world happiness will be an unattainable goal. This is what's at stake when we consider the behaviour of Bertie Ahern, Beverly Cooper-Flynn, Michael Lowry and their comrades in arms. We must consider the evidence and decide are such people fit to lead us?
What is my own opinion on this question? Well, on the basis of a series of leaks hinting at malpractice and innuendo concerning favouritism I cannot make a clear judgement and must await further evidence, but I am concerned.
Bernard Berney
