Truthers

“And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” St John 8:32

The recent revelation of President Obama’s long-form birth certificate should put to rest most of the skepticism from people who have been demanding that the President prove his citizenship. President Obama even used the incident as a main topic for his comedic remarks at the 2011 White House Correspondents’ Dinner, where he roasted Donald Trump, who was sitting in the audience, for his incessant demands to show his birth certificate.

The real question should be why the President took almost three years to share his birth certificate if there was nothing to hide in the first place. There are still numerous other documents that individuals have asked for such as his passports, visas, and college records (some believe he registered as a foreign student). However, President Obama continues to refuse to share these documents, and has purportedly spent a lot of money in legal fees to thwart court attempts to reveal them. The criticism and suspicion that surrounded the long-form birth certificate continues to be raised by those who want to know the truth about these other documents.

Trump only became the new face for an old movement of people that have hounded the President since he campaigned for office. The “birthers” – as they’re called by those who like to put labels on others – have been mocked, cajoled, and ridiculed by the mainstream media for their request to see Obama’s birth certificate.

Birthers have ranged from the calmly curious citizens who want to know his real status to the persistently pushy politicos who have hidden agendas to advance their own career or cause. The one thing they all have in common is that they want to know the truth. Therefore, their real label – if one needs to be given – should be “truthers”. These are people who want to know the truth, regardless of the social ostracism or backlash it may cause.

We have our own truthers here on Saipan. These are the individuals and groups who have asked our politicians for answers to questions about things such as the Marpi power poles, the real reason for the casino initiatives after the public has resoundingly voted “no” twice, or why candidates for the college’s top spot refuse to accept the job.

In my search for truth, I’ve learned that there are usually two reasons given as an explanation for something. The first is the reason that sounds good or is politically correct, and the second is the real reason, or the truth. That is what truthers really want to hear; not the political double-talk or psychobabble that tends to be the norm. Even if truthers are a minority, they should not be given a label and dismissed as a fringe group of people trying to cause trouble. If it doesn’t violate any laws or threaten someone’s safety, the truth should be told.

Of course, most know why the truth is hidden. It’s because it would not be acceptable to the majority of people, is unethical, illegal, or embarrassing. In other word, something is being covered up in order to benefit a person or small group of individuals at the cost of others.

James Kouzes and Barry Posner gave surveys to several thousand business and government executives on four continents and asked this question: What values (personal traits or characteristics) do you look for and admire in your superiors? In every survey they’ve conducted, honesty was selected more often than any other leadership characteristic. They stated in their book, The Leadership Challenge: “It consistently emerged as the single most important ingredient in the leader-constituent relationship. It’s clear that if we’re to willingly follow someone – whether it be into battle or into the boardroom, into the classroom or into the back room, into the front office or to the front lines – we first want to assure ourselves that the person is worthy of our trust.”

The bottom line is we don’t trust individuals who won’t tell us the truth or try to hide the truth from us. Lies, half-truths, manipulation, and subterfuge are the tools of con artists, thieves, and dishonorable people. Give us leaders who are honest and trustworthy.

“Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them to be rulers of thousands…” Exodus 18: 21