Dr. Ralph Miranda: Vote your values
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A couple weeks ago I was speaking with a 21-year-old, fairly new voter who indicated she was voting to reelect the president because he “aligned with her values.” She quickly ended the phone conversation because dinner with her parents was at hand. I accepted her right to choose her own values, but was left wondering what values she could possibly see as aligning with the current occupant of our White House.
Values are personal or group beliefs in which we have an emotional investment, usually positive but some negative, such as decency, friendliness or dishonesty, or character traits such as patience, jealousy or faithfulness. I know my personal values cannot be thrust upon another, but I have been struggling to figure out which values she found in alignment with her own.
I thought back to my military experience in the U.S. Army, where values were articulated and evolved over the years. Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman rattled off the core Army soldier values by rote during the impeachment hearings for President Trump, and I decided to use them as an example of positive values that the Army and most of the members of the military aspire to achieve. All military branches post and teach these values in some form, but I believe the Army’s list is most comprehensive.
1. Loyalty. This was expected to be a two-way street, where I was loyal to country and our Constitution, and my country was loyal to me. We sacrificed for each other.
2. Duty. There was no higher calling than to dedicate oneself to performance of duty, no matter how small or insignificant it seemed because we trusted that each part was contributing to a larger mission.
3. Respect. Respect for each other; respect for the enemy; respect for the people of foreign and domestic lands where we served.
4. Selfless Service. Military service was service, not self-service. This value called us to place our nation, Army, mission and subordinates ahead of any personal gain and self-interest.
5. Honor. Honor is what compels us to strive to live up to these values every day.
6. Integrity. This is the consistent practice of being honest with uncompromising adherence to ethical and moral principles. Truthfulness, accuracy, and non-misleading words and deeds are the touchstones of integrity.
7. Personal Courage. To face adversity, fear, danger, physical pain, uncertainty or even the threat of death, willingly.
For those people who claim to vote for the person and not the party or a single issue, I encourage you to apply the values test to the candidates for the highest executive office in the United States. Who comes closer to representing these values? Who falls flat? Try to find that honesty and these values in yourself when you mark your ballot.
Dr. Ralph Miranda has lived and worked in Westmoreland County for over 60 years.