SENTINEL WATCH March 1, 2010 Issue

FOR MORAL AND ETHICAL LEADERSHIP

CARL TAYLOR

HERE IN DETROIT not long ago, the city government had to work its way through a yearlong scandal in the mayor's office. In the end, the mayor resigned, served time in jail, and gave up his license to practice law. This case is still in the news because he is also being required to pay restitution.

Uncovering that situation has helped to purge the leadership and give the city a new start in addressing its many problems. For me, it also brings out the wisdom of this statement by Mary Baker Eddy: "Honesty is spiritual power. Dishonesty is human weakness, which forfeits divine help" (Science and Health, p. 453).

Maybe being honest was easier in the days when leadership in urban communities was more rooted in cultural traditions. Preachers, teachers, elders, and others in the community laid the foundation for its expectations and progress. Neighborhood organizations, businesses, and families were part of the leadership framework that many of us grew up with.