Moral lessons from the Philadelphia Inquirer

Here's the Philadelphia Inquirer, pontificating about Martha Stewart:

Let what Martha Stewart did serve as a lesson and a warning to other investors - even if that lesson so far appears lost on the perfectionist homemaker-mogul.

Stewart's crime of lying to federal investigators about a well-timed stock sale wasn't in the same league with corporate-accounting scandals that toppled entire companies.

However, there was no way that authorities could overlook the attempted coverup by Stewart and her former stockbroker, Peter E. Bacanovic, who on Friday was given a sentence nearly identical to Stewart's.

Such deceits are the bread and butter of securities fraud, even if federal prosecutors in the Stewart case were unable to prove illegal insider stock trading.

So Stewart may continue to proclaim her innocence and tiptoe around a genuine apology. That's her right, and it's understandable since she's appealing the conviction. But as the case has unfolded, Stewart has had less and less reason to complain about being singled out as a high-profile defendant.

The minimum penalty meted out at her sentencing - five months in jail, plus another five months of house arrest - paled in comparison to what lesser-known defendants face for robbing fewer dollars from a convenience store.

Let's see. Lying about something they couldn't even prove you did is worse than robbery? Robbery, for those who don't know criminal law, consists of taking property by force or threat of force. A guy who sticks a gun in the face of a convenience store clerk may not get much money, but he is endangering human life! That is why robbery is such a serious crime, and is in no way morally comparable to lying (much less morally superior)!

The Inquirer concludes with some heart-felt advice for Ms. Stewart:

Best advice for Stewart as she faces time behind bars? Simplify, of course. And maybe learn just a smidgen of humility from the experience. That would be a good thing.
Simplify? Lying is like violent crime? (The Inquirer certainly knows about simplification.....)

Under the circumstances, I think the lecture on humility is a bit much.

But hey, let's try to remain humble anyway, and turn to today's Inquirer editorial on Sandy Berger:

Even if his main sin is just being one disorganized fellow, Berger committed a serious security faux pas. He was right to resign as an informal Kerry adviser.

But you know who was even more in the wrong?

House Speaker Dennis Hastert and House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, who used the curiously timed leak about this months-old matter to engage in a hasty partisan smear.

Let's see. Lying about a non-criminal stock sale is worse than robbery and deserves prison, but a "faux pas" involving national security deserves, er, having to resign? From the newly revised post of "informal adviser"? But the Republicans are "even more wrong" for committing a "smear"?

In a way, I feel sorry for the people who have to crank out these logically impenetrable editorials and wildly variable moral principles. The mental contortions required almost remind me of the demands placed upon those poor Communist Party members back in the 1930s. (First Nazis bad; then peace with Nazis; then war with Nazis!)

But at least in those days, there was an identifiable party line to be followed. If there's one today, I can't find it.

posted by Eric on 07.22.04 at 03:53 PM





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Comments

That "Philadelphia Enquirer" editorialist is the same as a Communist in his attack on Martha Stewart and simultaneous defense of a man who steals national security secrets. His attack on Marta Stewart is motivated envy and hatred of all pride ("arrogance") and acheivement ("perfectionism") -- that ultimate, apocalyptic evil: hatred of the good for being the good. Level everyone down to the same level, make everybody the same as everybody: that is the Communist creed. I'm against it.

It would be just if Martha Stewart were to take some low-level job where she earns enough to live but never gives the world the benefit of her ideas ever again. It's time for Atlas to shrug. Let the envious mediocrities stew in their own juices. Let them freeze and starve to death in the dark. I'm mad as Hell.



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