ACCOUNTABILITY

It was a common—very common—refrain in the our house when I was a boy. “Dougie did it! “No, Bucie did it!!” And when Tom came along a few years later, “Tommy did it!!!” And we probably did, one or both or all of us, at one time or another. We did it, for sure! And undoubtedly more that we didn’t get caught for. Yeah, we were good kids, but not THAT good. And the most natural, logical thing for young boys to do when caught or accused of doing something—practiced and refined and perfected since time immemorial—is to blame some one else. The other guy, the other brother, the other kid.

But we grew out of it. Mostly. Becoming decent, responsible, grown-up members of society. Again, mostly. We learned that in the long run, and for our own peace of mind and self-esteem, it was better to be accountable. To stand up, not cower. To take responsibility for ourselves and our actions. One thinks—and hopes—that many (most) kids learned this while growing up.

Turns out, you can become president of the United States and never learn it. In fact, perfect the art of never learning it, even dodging it completely. ‘I didn’t do it. I know nothing about it. I haven’t been briefed. I have no way of knowing. I’ve never met the man. I’ve never heard of him. This is the first I’ve heard about it. I just know what Pete tells me.” After all, how’s the * president supposed to know anything? He has people for that.

Turns out you can become Secretary of Defense-errr, War—and never learn it either. Accountability, that is. ‘Uhh, I didn’t see it. I know I said I did, but really I didn’t. Or, just a part of it, yes, but not the part you’re talking about. I’m very busy, so on to the next meeting, you know. And ‘the fog of war’—you see it was very foggy, very foggy, with smoke and everything. So I didn’t see it. But the Admiral saw it, he saw everything. He saw right through the fog and HE ordered the second strike. Which was still the right thing to do, and I support it. But I didn’t do it. And the *president says he would never have done it. So it wasn’t us. Not us at all. But… but there—hey, there’s the Admiral right over there! Go ask him!”

So there they are folks, the *president and the Secretary of Defense. Bruce and I would have been proud. Really proud. Of course, we were only six. And three.