I recently read a story about the murder of Catholic priests in Mexico. Part of the blame was placed on a culture of corruption and graft.
As a teenager, I remember crossing into Mexico from Texas at Piedra Negras. Within 100 yards of the border, my father was approached by two menacing-looking men who flashed badges and demanded $20 to “protect” our family as we walked the streets. That has always stuck in my mind as what happens to a society that lets the “little” turn into the “larger” over time.
It made me think about corruption in our daily life here in Hancock County. Do we experience it?
I am pleased with my answer. I have to say no, I have never seen it. As I watch the current political race, one thing seems abundantly clear: we have a plethora of fine, upstanding citizens running for office. I truly can’t imagine any one of them taking under-the-table money for anything.
Where does this start? It starts with all of us. If you could slip the local policeman $20 to get out of a speeding ticket, it would start there. If you had to slip a $50 bill to get the water company to come fix a leak, it would start there.
What if $100 cash to a councilman would get a pothole in front of your house fixed? What if $500 to the assessor would get your property tax lowered? What if $1,000 would get the mayor to put in a good word for your business at a tax-abatement hearing? What if $10,000 would get your state senator to push your alcohol license ahead of the line? What if $100,000 would get your Congressman to put your business into the pork of the new bill he is sponsoring? What if $150,000 would get your indiscretions covered up if you were president?
Here in Hancock County, I can’t imagine any of the above scenarios happening. I am proud of the people I know in positions of responsibility. I think they have integrity and honor. I think they have good sense.
I think our people have good sense, too. All this starts, of course, with the people. If we try to bribe, if we dangle the carrots of payola in front of our leaders, then we tempt the problem. It is always a two-way street of responsibility combating graft: do not offer, do not accept.
I’ve had more than 30 years in the medical business, and in my industry, I have never witnessed graft at my level. What I have seen is legalized payola in the form of “consulting fees” as the dollars at stake increase.
It seems the higher the sums at stake, the more likely that graft can take hold. I challenge our leaders at higher levels, and the businesspeople who work with them: recognize legalized bribes at your levels and stop it.
As our new crop of leaders emerges from the primaries this year, I encourage them to concentrate on keeping graft at bay in our community, our state and our nation.
Your responsibility to make the playing field level for all citizens is the cornerstone of our democracy and way of life. No one wants to have to have a slush fund of bribes ready at hand to “get things done.” The end game is what Mexico faces: murder in the streets.
As citizens it is our responsibility to watch for this. If you experience graft, report it. The free press is our watchdog, and we are fortunate to still have a local news outlet that matters.
New officials: Stay clean. We are watching.
Kurt Vetters, a longtime resident of Greenfield, is a U.S. Army veteran, author and local businessman. He can be reached at [email protected].
