11/25/98
No doubt about it, lying is an impeachable offense. It heads
my list of high crimes and misdemeanors. Any civilian caught
lying in a Federal court, after we've raised our right hand and
promised to tell the truth, may easily leads to jail for five
years. Is Bill Clinton above the law? No, no, no.
Our civilization is based on telling the truth. It has been for
at least 200 years. Humans living together in an honest state, or
nation, depend on the truth. Promises, guarantees, contracts, the
law itself, measures, guarantees, all depend on the truth. It's
the essence of our life. In a real sense, truth makes life worth
living. Without truth, chaos would prevail and it often prevails
when lies are told, when lies prevail.
Our families are based on a wedding contract ". .until death
do us part." Sure, many breach this contract, but at a great
cost to themselves and unfortunately their children, and their
wallets. We make no less a contract with our president and our
governor, our mayor, and of course, our Congressmen. It's
obvious, however, that many in Congress often take these
contracts lightly. This must not continue.
Sure, now and than, amongst our friends and relatives, we can
find some who trespass on the truth in relatively inconsequential
matters. And of course, some serious matters.
But for the President of these United States to stand before a
court, or before a TV screen, and swear to tell the truth? Give
us a break! Bill Clinton needs to be punished; impeached first,
then punished. Imagine yourself in the military - your life may
be at stake in a plane, on the ground, on a ship, ready to serve
a Commander-of-Chief who is an admitted liar, who plays fast and
lose with the truth, even before a grand jury. Pretty bad, isn't
it? Yet, we have a host of Congressmen in both houses of our
government who say perjury and lying are not a high crime or
treason. Of course, it's both! Can't you get the point? Lying by
a CEO, or a governor,or a president is a high crime and
misdemeanor, no doubt at all.
Is Bill Clinton the first man in high office to lie? Probably
not. To perjure himself? He may be. Congressmen have a job to
bring this sort of terrible misconduct to an end - to send a
message to future presidents, to themselves, that we all regard
lying in office as a high crime and a misdemeanor.
To find that so many Congressmen do not agree with this
assessment is indeed a reflection on the integrity of Congressmen
in general. That's not only a sad commentary, it shows us that
many a congressperson does not have the integrity needed. That's
a shame! Here's a real opportunity for the Congress! Impeach Bill
Clinton as a perjurer and a liar and you will send a message to
all junior and senior government officials that lying will not be
tolerated. Then we will have a better country at every level!
Hiram Perry, 6 Miles Rd., Newburgh, Maine 04444 Tel. (207) 234-2890 Fax 234-2940 |