On Off-Duty Conduct ...
"Employees acting in an official capacity will not directly or indirectly authorize, permit or participate in discrimination based on age, gender, ethnic origin, physical or mental disability or sexual orientation against anyone, whether or not they are employees. Because we are a law enforcement agency, off-duty conduct that demonstrates an inability to be fair, objective and unbiased in dealings with others will not be tolerated."
--The discrimination clause in a five-page code of conduct signed in
November by Kenneth J. Hunter, chief of the U.S. Postal Inspection
Service. Washington Times on 12/31/96, front page.
On Off-Duty Conduct II...
"Is this constitutional? I'm really surprised, to say the least. Personally, I'm opposed to anything that links homosexuality with age, gender and ethnic origin. Personally, I feel homosexuality is a sin, just like cheating on your wife. I'm not going to sign it."
--A postal inspector in Washington, regarding the new code of conduct for
postal inspectors. Another worker said the code could prevent him from
opposing a homosexual pastor at his local church or speaking out against
same-sex "marriage." Washington Times on 12/31/96, front page.
On Equal Treatment Under the Law...
"This is outright, flagrant, blatant racial discrimination. It favors one race over another and grants benefits to one race that are denied to another simply because of race."
--Frank T. Keliher, a Social Security Administration worker who has accused
that agency of reverse discrimination because he has been prohibited from
organizing a white-affairs advisory council to mirror a black council
afforded special rights. At issue is the opportunity for quarterly meetings
with the agency Commissioner to talk about issues that concern group members.
Washington Times on 12/27/96, front page.
On Those High Presidential Expectations...
"We've seen now a series of things that suggest that some people brought friends or associates here with them to the White House for purposes that might not be consistent with what the president would expect of those who are guests at the White House."
--White House press secretary Michael McCurry, concerning donors being
granted extraordinary access to the president, including Oval Office photo
sessions and small coffees with Clinton. In some cases donors brought
business associates to the private sessions, including foreign businessmen
not entitled to vote or make political contributions here. Washington Post
on 12/29/96, front page.
On the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come...
"God will hold you to account, Mr. President."
--Rev. Rob Shenck, to President Clinton during a Christmas Eve church
service at the Washington National Cathedral, referring to the president's
veto of a ban on partial-birth abortion. After the service, Rev. Shenck was
detained by Secret Service agents who accused him of "threatening the
President's life." No charges were filed. Washington Times on 12/27/96,
page A5.
On Being So Ludicrous It's Funny...
"In her Wednesday commentary-page column, Linda Bowles stated that President Clinton and his former campaign adviser Dick Morris both were 'guilty of callous unfaithfulness to their wives and children.' Neither man has admitted to being or been proven to have been unfaithful. The Tribune regrets the error."
--A remarkable "correction" issued by the Chicago Tribune on September 5th.
This is in a commentary by L. Brent Bozell III, chairman of the Media
Research Center, concerning quotes of note for the past year. Washington
Times on 12/27/96, page A17.
On Representing the Children's Interests...
"People: The murderer, me, my friend Romez and Aaron the hostage. Setting: At my houce with Romez and my dad and mom. Missing: Aaron and his mom and dad. The murderer has Aaron as hostage. Romez and I have found the murderer but the murderer has a knife and machine gun held to Aaron's head. He wants to kill Aaron, me and Romez but he diden't think of killing Aaron with the knife and us with the machine gun but he was to stoped to doo that. Solved it: Romez and I found out that the murderer was my dad."
--Justin Simpson, 8-year-old son of O.J. Simpson, in a fictional murder
mystery for a school assignment, included here with the original
misspellings. In her ruling awarding Simpson custody of the children,
Judge Nancy Wieben Stock wrote that the children "show no signs of fear
or intimidation around their father." Washington Times on 12/24/96,
front page.
[Editor's Note: And why is our educational system having our 8-year-olds,
especially that 8-year-old, write fictional murder mysteries for school
assignments?]
On Accepting Responsibility for One's Actions...
"In my name and over my signature, inaccurate, incomplete and unreliable statements were given to the committee, but I did not intend to mislead."
--Newt Gingrich, concerning current ethics charges against him. Washington
Times on 12/22/96, front page.
[Editor's Note: All elected officials should be held to the highest ethical
standard. If Gingrich made an unintentional paperwork error with the tax
code red tape then he should be reprimanded and the issue dropped. If he
violated ethics rules by intentionally hiding this error and providing
misleading information, then he should step down as Speaker as an example
for others in this town. However, I find it mind-boggling that the Clintons
intentionally deceive for their personal gain repeatedly, and deny it all
with the most ludicrous excuses, and the world doesn't care -- he even gets
reelected. Perspective has been completely lost on the situation.]