Kripa
From the desk of Kripa
What would any honest American want?- my friend posed a question in his write up about "What has happened to the first Amendment?" He gives a choice between jobs and unemployment. An honest American would want is the truth from a leader who wants to be the President of USA. Everything else is secondary as it lays bare the values one holds in his core belief. Speaking the truth is a value all Americans view as the most important as it gives them the inner strength to teach their children to take responsibility and face the consequences, even in dire circumstances. Our character gets molded when the society as a whole repeat in all walks of life to speak the truth, starting with our parents and reinforced by teachers to coaches to mentors and when the child becomes an adult, it is the character shaped by truth that helps to navigate through life and when everything is lost, still the person can walk with his/her head held high and earn the respect of the society. The person understands that everything that has been lost can be earned back but not the character. It is the character that gives him/her a voice to be heard because the words become powerful as it contains the unvarnished truth, it is the character that gives him/her a second chance when he/she stumbles, it is the character of the person that becomes an inspiration for the future generations even after he/she is long gone. Truth hurts but still it is the truth that will set him/her free. Life with all its richness will be poorer if the riches one gained was due to distorting or not standing up for the truth. Giving away to charities in the name of God a percentage of one's income will not in any way wash the sins as Truth which He(the Almighty) spoke and as a result sustained the wrath of those who crucified Him was not found in his deeds and the charity makes a mockery of pain and suffering He willfully endured to live up to his Father's expectations. So truth matters!