Honesty is a fundamental value of American life and life in our Galt community. 

People in the Galt area feel so strongly about the importance of honesty that they selected it as one of the six most important character traits for our community to promote. In fact, honesty was a near unanimous choice in a community-wide survey of opinions about character in 2007. As a result, honesty was selected to be the character trait of focus every year for March and April in the Galt community.  

There is still no replacement for living our lives with the belief and practice that “Honesty is the Best Policy.” In fact, many people say that honesty isn’t a policy at all; it’s an ongoing state of mind and personal mandate, not a calculation. There is no more fundamental ethical value than honesty in our community.

Given the many serious challenges facing us these days that require honest analysis and accurate information to make decisions, it’s more important than ever to act with honesty and speak truthfully. The corrosive effect of dishonesty is a serious affront to our national sense of right and wrong and basic fairness. The consequences of dishonesty and half-truths can be monumentally serious.

We associate honesty with people of honor, and we admire and trust those who are honest. But honesty is an even broader concept. Honesty requires good-faith intent to convey the truth as best we know it. Honest communication avoids communicating in a way likely to mislead or deceive.  

Here are three dimensions to honesty:

1.Truthfulness—the obligation of truthfulness does not allow intentional misrepresentation of fact (lying). Stating a lie over and over does not change it to a fact. It’s still a lie.  

2. Sincerity—The obligation of sincerity does not allow half-truths, out of context statements, and even silence and pressure that are intended to create beliefs or leave impressions that are untrue or misleading.

3. Candor—There are expectations of honesty and candor in relationships of trust.

Honesty in conduct also prohibits stealing, cheating, fraud and playing tricks to deceive someone. Cheating is a particularly destructive form of dishonesty because cheaters not only seek to deceive but to take advantage of those who are not cheating. Consider the Olympic athletes who may have been denied a medal due to others cheating with performance-enhancing drugs. 

Do you know someone who is a role model of honesty? We would like to hear their story and possibly honor them with a Community of Character Honesty Award. Please mail information about your nominee to Galt Community of Character Coalition, PO Box 902, Galt, CA 95632. The deadline is April 30. Or send information to Mari Martinez at [email protected]. Be sure to include the name, address, email address and phone number of your nominee, and a description of the actions that demonstrate honesty. You may nominate individuals, groups or organizations. Also, please include information about yourself, so we can follow up with you.