Say

by Barbara Combs Williams

Created on: September 25, 2009

Americans are always telling anyone who will listen and even those who won't, what to do. We are definitely a "do as I say, not as I do, nation." Many Americans and I will go out on a limb and say, indeed many people follow the doctrine of "do as I say, but don't hold me to the same principle." I will do as I wish.

Being an American I can say that without the threat of being called misinformed by others. I myself try to live by the principal of lead by example. Therefore, I whole heartily try to set in motion actions that if observed or involves others are upright and honorable. Even when the possibility of no one in the world knowing what I have done, I still stand behind my words as guiding my actions.

We live in the greatest and most powerful nation on earth, but our political and social leaders act out some of the most heinous practices while steadfastly proclaiming their innocence. They act and then beg for our forgiveness when caught. This pattern of behavior cries out that it is okay to do wrong as long as you say forgive me in the end. Clearly they are practicing, do as I say as to what is right, not as I have actually done. Lest we forget the governor from South Carolina, who said he was away from his office doing one thing and acted out an entirely different scenario with a woman not his wife.

The United States boasts of its many and diverse religious beliefs. Most of these houses of worship teach the doctrines of man setting a good example to his children as to how to be a worthy human being. I would dare say there is not one religion that teaches "do what you want behind closed doors, but say what's right and correct when in public." Unfortunately we practice this very doctrine in most of our homes. If we would do as the "Golden Rule" would have us, we would be thousand of miles ahead of the game. "Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them; for this is the law and the prophets," from the King James Version of the Bible, Matthew, 7:12. This simple rule states to do what is right to others as you want them to do to you. It does not imply that you can say what is right and then if you feel like it you might do as you say; otherwise you are just out of luck.

We have an entirely different agenda when putting into practice what we preach. Every commercial that we see in ads and on television tells us what to do. Not by some golden standard as to what is right, but rather what is right now, the "latest in thing." These commercials say, do what I say because otherwise you are just not cool. Do any of these ad people really practice what they preach? I would say very few.

Let's say what we will do and then do what we say, that's what made this country great in the first place. Sometimes it's the most simplest of answers that fits the question just right.

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