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WHfl'BY FREEPT>S, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 20,1988, PAGE 7 PAGE SEVEN &NI ETHICS AND MORALITY IN FOLrIIS AUl politicians are crooks! An extreme statement ta be sure, perhaps ill-considered, but one that is heard often in recent years. Newspapers and the television news are filled with one scandai after another - politicians at ail levels caught in shady arrangements or at least appearing ta be. Are things really any worse or are we just better "informned!"? Ever since Watergate, the ethies of polities has been under constant scrutiny. Before that now infamous break-in and subsequent investigation, people had faith - aibeit a grudging faith - in the honesty of their leaders. A survey taken only weeks before Nixon's resignation showed a majority of Americans StIl believed he was telling the truth. But their faith was brutally shattered. Since then, every politician has been under intense public scrutiny - every one of themn is suspect, guilty until proven innocent. If Jimmy Carter had been president at any time in American history before Nixon, his presidency would have been regarded as productive and far-sighted, but he had the unfortunate luek to follow Nixon and the media hounds were out for blood. Every move was watched - his. credibility was constantly in question. The legacy of Nixon and Watergate has inevitably had the saine impact on Canadian politics. The kinds of "scandaIs" which make the front-page today would have been barely news twenty years ago - we trusted in. basic honesty and regarded private lives and business dealings as personal affairs - unless there was outright criminal acvtivity involved. Does the scrutiny we subject our politicians to mean we are any better served? Probably nat! Anyone who has made a nanie for himself in any other field thinks twice before entering politics - plitics is left ta the professionals, the masters of image and perception as opposed ta, substance. Politics is left ta those who enjoy and seek the limelight and who have the ego ta think they look good in the public eye. Many a brilliant academic or experienced businessman who has ventured inta the political arena has been pilloried in the cruel glare of media attention. In the 1980's, there is no way that an uncolorful and unassuming career civil servant like Lester Pearson would ever be elected Prime Minister ...aor-would want ta. Clearly, as electars in a democratic systemn we have a right ta know who we are voting for. As citizens, we have the right ta expect that our leaders can stand the close ,scrutiny we give them. If there is damaging evidence against them we have a right ta know ... provided that evidence is related ta their role in government and wiIl affect their ability ta serve. We have a right ta know their business dealings and their property holdings ta ensure that no unfair advantage is gained from their political connections. But the media which acts as aur source for most of this information seldomn stops at that. They seek scandaI wherever they can find it. Robert Coates was forced ta, resign as defence minister because he visited a strip bar. Not the most proper behaviaur, but it didn't reflect on his ability as a minister. Last year we saw the front runner for the Presidency of the United States drap ont of sight because ha was caught with another waman. (He was also caught lying about it - but what politician wouldnt in similar circumstances.) What Gary Hart did was a great deal less immoral than many of his predecessors and wauld have had little affect on his ability as a leader yet it was sufficient ta end his campaign. He might have made a good President; he quite possibly was the best man for the job - we'l neyer know. We expect aur politicians ta appear perfect. The successful politician is one wha is attractive, has a way with words and avoids controversy - vagueness and procrastination win mare votes than policies and opinions. ,If the standards of 1988 were applied ta histary, things wauld have been a lot different. John A. Macdonald was an alcoholic and Wilfred Laurier was unfaithful - hardly fit for prime Mfinister by today's standards. And Mackenzie King sought advice from the spirit world and Pierre Trudeau lied about his age and married a pot-smoking flower-child. Yet these were the people who have shaped our nation. They were leaders whose understanding and vision of the country outweighed the "flaws" in their personal lives. Would any of them be electable today? Look what patting ladies' behinds did ta John Turner in 1984 - but did it really have anything to do with his abilities as a leader? Does the fact that he stapped patting behinds make him a better leader? 1'.1- AM~R57-c~ t/ a/c/P EýeoT LOPW/.0A/T IbB DUNDAS STREET LOOKING WEST FROM BROCK STREET, 1923 Ail the buildings in this picture of 65 years ago are stili standling, although the volume of trafflic has increased considerably. At right is Arthur Allin's drug store. This red brick building was covered with stucco inl 1939. Whitby Archives photo 10 YEARS AGO0 from the Wednesday, April 19, 1978 edition of the WHITBY FREE PRESS' "Development of Brooklin to a community of 10,000 will be delayed a year, Councillor Tom Edwards stated at a press conference. " The Oshawa and Area Home Show wiII be held at Iroquois Park Arena in Whitby for the first time, April 27 to 30. " Durham Region Separate School Board will close St. Leo's School in Brooklin because of economic restraints. " Whitby's first Wintario Draw is planned for the County Town Carnival weekend in August. 25 YEARS AGO from the Thursday, April 18, 1963 edition of the WHITBY WEEKLY NEWS " More people are moving out of Whitby than into Whitby in the past two months. " The "Vote Yes" committee published a full-page letter to Whitby voters urging them to vote in favor of serving liquor at bars and restaurants. " Whitby Benevolent Rebekah Lodge No. 132 is planning for its Sth anniversary. " The House of Windsor Chapter of the Imperial Order of the Daughters of the Empire is offering bursaries of $100 each to Grade 13 students at Anderson and Henry Street High Schools. 100 YEARS AGO from the Friday April 20, 1888 edition of the WHITBY CHRONICLE " New driving sheds are being erected at the Ashburn Presbyterian Church to accomniodate a dozen teams of horses. *A meeting advocating unrestricted reciprocity (free track) was poorly attended and littie interest was shown in the proposai. *The Chronicle complains that Whitby is short of money because its citizens spend it in Toronto and other communities instead of at home. *Bookséller R.S. Cormack is selling a combined scribbler and dictionary to students for five cents. mou#