As a country, we define America as a land of opportunity where men and women are created equally: a just society in which oppression and discrimination are archaic, deplorable institutions of our ignorant forefathers. Ironic, then, in a country that espouses equity, human rights, and freedom of choice, that a gay man is beaten and left for dead; ironic that a young woman is harangued and even physically assaulted when she attempts to enter an abortion clinic; ironic that our former president--the physical representation of America's idealistic values & morals--is exposed as an adulterer and a liar. Just what ARE values and morals in a country of meaningless hate crimes, White House sex scandals, and tolerated intolerance? And are laws effectively built on the so-called basis of morality and self-interest?
First of all, "morals" are defined as principles with regard to right or wrong behavior, and "values" are a set of ideals and institutions that evoke an emotional response in a given society or individual. These two ideas create "ethics," any quality desirable as a mean of an end in itself. Arguably, each individual has a different set of ethics, which adds up to a different personal character. No one cares about the personal character of Joe Lunchpail, who works at the local GM plant, drinks beer, watches football, and beats his wife.
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