Monday, July 02, 2007 Seares: ‘Honest Jonas’ By Pachico A. Seares News Sense
US president FD Roosevelt wheeled himself along to the bedroom where British premier Winston Churchill slept during a White House visit. FDR opened the door without knocking and saw Churchill standing naked.
Not a bit bothered, Churchill said, “You see, Mr. President, we British have nothing to hide.”
Churchill was being transparent. Was he being honest as well? At times, one is often confused with the other. The dishonest tends to hide things but one can be “open” and yet be dishonest.
And claiming honesty can be tricky. How does one know he’ll stay honest?
Jonas Cortes, Mandaue City’s new mayor, called his slate Team Honesty, as unabashed as anyone can get.
Limit
A bank official asked a lawyer friend in a job interview: “Are you honest?” He said: “I don’t know.”
He wasn’t hired, the bank’s loss, for few can be more honest than the guy who admits he doesn’t know the limit of his honesty. They say we’re all honest until we’re tempted strongly enough to become dishonest.
Mayor Jonas has set himself and his co-officials steep standards, an election line that worked. And the public expects them to pursue it. Campaign supporter Norberto Quisumbing Jr. made that clear last week.
US president Lincoln was called Honest Abe for admitting he cut the family tree. At a journalism class, a skeptic asked: How do we know he didn’t lie to his pa about, say, not milking the cow?
Honesty on one thing often glosses dishonesty on other things. But one taint of dishonesty cruelly flaws the entire person.
Mayor Jonas has a tough act to play. The vow of honesty that elected him can be more demanding than he expects.
