Duty, Honor, Country… More Than A Motto… A Worldview
The Character Building Project holds that our nation’s schools, including our elite universities should develop character programs for all its students. These elite schools can do so by looking to our military academies and religious schools who already train rising leaders to have the wisdom to know what is the right thing to do, the skill to do it, and the virtue to persevere until it is accomplished. Continue reading
Why Have an Honor Code?
Even after our post on the Character Building Project about the University of Virginia’s 169-year honor system, some still ask why have an honor code? The best answer I offer is straight from the United States Military Academy http://www.usma.edu/committees/honor/info/main.htm Continue reading
VIRTUE… THE MOST RELIABLE WEALTH YOU CAN LEAVE YOUR CHILDREN
Paul Stoltz, my good friend and mentor has served to broaden my outlook. Paul shares excellent counsel with me, such as…. “It is not the distance you travel on the plane that matters but the distance you travel in your mind.” Paul also advises, “those that limit their vantage point limit their possibilities.” Paul further advises that we “must demonstrate unprecedented cultural agility and alacrity in order to remain viable and marketable.” Continue reading
THE MEASURE OF SUCCESS IS HOW WE LIVE OUR DAILY LIVES
This weeks’ Arlington Catholic Herald caught my attention with an article about John H. Garvey swearing in as the 15th president of Catholic University. Garvey stated… “The measure of our success is how our graduates live their daily lives.” These days, ethics classes are popular in secular universities, he said. But does that go far enough” he asked? Continue reading
TAKE THE CHANCE: BEING PART OF SOMETHING LARGER THAN YOURSELF
Most of you at The School for Ethics and Global Leadership are here to learn how to become ethical leaders who will create positive change in our country and the world. Junior year of high school is a critical time to discern your vocation. You still need to acquire more academic credentials that will help you in your future service career, but it might surprise you to know that much of what you will need and use to change the world and be successful are habits you are forming right now. Today let’s focus on some of these important habits needed for public service, talk a bit about what you can learn from the ancient Greeks about forming good habits, and time permitting, give you a couple of examples of good habits practiced by the ethical politicians, the characters with good character in my book, Politics with Principle. Continue reading
IMITATE BONHOEFFER, NOT BABEL
Ironically, while reading Eric Metaxas’ Bonhoeffer, Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy, a Lutheran theologian has brought me closer to my Catholic faith and has enlightened my thinking about good character as stemming, in many cases, from obedience to one’s faith. Continue reading
WHY DID YOU WRITE POLITICS WITH PRINCIPLE?
In several interviews I have been asked how I came to write Politics with Principle: Ten Characters with Character.
The answer is my ten-year-old grandson, Kaelan James Kerrigan, asked me what kind of work I did. I responded that I was a lobbyist in Washington, working with Congress and federal agencies. Kaelan looked puzzled, and he further probed whether that was a good thing, whether I worked with good people. Continue reading
Ben Cardin: Impressive Leader Who Does Not Try To Impress
Ringing in Ben’s ear was John Kennedy’s iconic call to the youth of America: “Ask not what your country can do for you, but ask what you can do for your country.” JFK’s speech triggered Ben’s strong belief in the difference one person can make, the good one person can accomplish, when his or her actions are based upon a commitment to ethics and service. Continue reading