Lying

A lie is a most curious thing.

Lies cover a spectrum - from one end, telling a lie indicates you are a good person, and at the other end, it proves you are not.

Our tolerance for lying is a personal thing.  Much like salt on food, the point of 'too much' varies by individual and it is one of those things that are hard to pin down, but we all know it when we see it.

I would also offer the thought that there is a situational aspect to our tolerance for lies.  Again using the salt analogy, more salt is expected on potatoes but not on ice cream.

Such as it is, lying is part of our political contests.  From small omissions of fact to improve a candidate's appeal, to knowingly false accusations of the worst sort against one's opponent - we have seen it all in this race for Mayor and Council.

Our individual tolerance has been tested.  Some respond much better to the worst of lies if it is their party or their preferred candidate doing the lying.  What would shock and appall if it were done by the 'other side', is grudgingly embraced by some as 'just how the game is played', simply because it is 'their side' doing it.

Every member of a political party has as much right as any other to demand either a high ethical standard, or let a low standard prevail.  Each may not have the same power to achieve those demands.  However, when you vote you can, and I would suggest should, consider it in your choices of which candidates to vote for.  Is your candidate and your party fairly representing your values and standards in their actual conduct during the campaign?  How far askew have they gone by your reckoning?  Do they deserve your vote, given how their conduct reflects on their character?

We can all lament election time as the silly season and proclaim how we will be glad when all the negative ads are gone.  But if we, with our vote, condone the most egregious tactics, then we are part of the problem.