Katrina: Do We Jettison Standards?

Do ideals rise and fall on the faithfulness (or faithlessness) of those who claim to value them, rather than their own intrinsic merit? If that is the case, who then can stand in the breach and urge us to higher and better things, whatever they may be? The question occurs to me whenever either political party makes ideological hay out of the failings of members of the opposition. What is worse? To hold up a standard and fail utterly to meet it, or to dispense with standards altogether? Full post below.

Question: Do we abandon lofty ideals b/c many fail in their attempt to live up to them?

This story is just sad, sad, sad. I’m very disappointed any time something like this comes out about anyone entrusted with the public good. I definitely understand the anger at hypocrisy when it rears its ugly head.

But does it then follow that I cannot hold up any ideal which I myself sometimes fail to meet? Do ideals rise and fall on the faithfulness (or faithlessness) of those who claim to value them, rather than their own intrinsic merit? If that is the case, who then can stand in the breach and urge us to higher and better things, whatever they may be?

The question occurs to me whenever either political party makes ideological hay out of the failings of members of the opposition.

What is worse? To hold up a standard and fail utterly to meet it, or to dispense with standards altogether?