Paulette Brown-HindsWhen I was in Girl Scouts, like all scouts in the organization, I made a promise. The Girl Scout oath, shared by every member of the organization, reflects the way Girl Scouts agree to act everyday toward one another and other people:
On my honor, I will try:
To serve God and my country,
To help people at all times,
And to live by the Girl Scout Law.
The Girl Scout Law outlines the way to act towards one another and the world:
I will do my best to be honest and fair, friendly, and helpful, considerate and caring, courageous and strong, and responsible for what I say and do, and to respect myself and others, respect authority, use resources wisely, make the world a better place, and be a sister to every Girl Scout.
As Girl Scouts, we tried to live by those words.
I’ve been thinking quite a bit about oaths of office and swearing an oath since hearing the recent news of two San Bernardino city councilmen who were charged with felonies, and after watching a video of Moreno Valley police officers using what seems to be excessive force on a man in distress who would not exit his car. In all three cases, the individuals involved were officially sworn into duty to serve the public.
What happened to the promise to serve the people you represent?
When Councilman Chas Kelley used public campaign funds for personal use and then underreported his contributions, he lied to the people of San Bernardino and violated reporting laws that every elected official in our country is bound by law to follow.
What happened to putting the public interest before personal interests?
Among Internet stalking accusations, Councilman Robert Jenkins is accused of misusing his authority by creating false San Bernardino Police Department and Common Council memos.
What happened to protecting and serving the citizens of your city?
How many officers does it take to subdue an unarmed man? Is excessively beating him before handcuffing him necessary? Not only does the family of Raymond Johnson deserve answers, but the people of Moreno Valley do as well.
In my family we were taught we couldn’t just be average, we had to be better. We had to study harder. Work longer. We were encouraged to strive to be exceptional. During my tenure as a Girl Scout, I took that three-finger pledge, and worked exceptionally hard to make the world a better place. I was 12 years old. It’s a shame that some of our current public servants are not as committed to upholding the oaths they swore and the promises to the public they made when they entered public service.