Demand Truth From Elected Leaders

As the 2024 election approaches, Americans should consider candidates’ policy positions as well as their personal integrity and leadership qualities. This election is not just a referendum on policies; it's a critical moment to demand honesty and accountability from those who wish to govern.

During the summer of 1778, General George Washington led a joint force to take advantage of the British army’s complacency, including its recent evacuation of Philadelphia. At the Battle of Monmouth, Washington ordered the Continental Army to attack the Redcoats as they marched toward New York.

General Charles Lee, the Army’s second-in-command, was picked to lead the advance, but fearing defeat, he disobeyed his superior officer and ordered his men to retreat. Lee’s actions threw the Continental forces into confusion and nearly resulted in disaster, until Washington personally rallied the troops and resumed the fight, ultimately forcing a draw in what became one of the longest and hardest-fought battles of the Revolutionary War.

Washington immediately relieved Lee of his command, and at his court-martial, Lee was convicted of misconduct and suspended from the army. The moment exemplified Washington’s leadership, demonstrating his commitment to unity and the chain of command, while facing the uncertainty of battling a powerful foe.

Democratic societies require citizens willing to hold their leaders accountable. At the heart of this issue is the Ninth Commandment: "You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor," a directive that forms the moral bedrock of Judeo-Christian ethics.

From the infamous Watergate scandal to more recent political controversies, ordinary citizens have played important roles in exposing falsehoods. Watergate culminated in the resignation of President Richard Nixon in 1974, when he got caught on the wrong side of the truth.

John Dean, the White House Counsel, provided detailed accounts of Nixon’s involvement in the cover-up. His courage in testifying against a sitting president was extraordinary, but equally heroic were the American citizens, journalists, and political leaders who commanded the truth.

Dean’s testimony was opposed by Attorney General Richard Kleindienst, who denied knowledge of any illegal activities. Through the persistence of the Washington Post journalists Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, the truth came to life. When the Nixon tapes were exposed, it was clear that Dean was the white hat, while Kleindienst and others were perpetrating lies.

The first impeachment trial of Donald Trump in 2020 highlighted the importance of truth in governance. Gordon Sondland, the U.S. Ambassador to the European Union, testified that there was a "quid pro quo" linking military aid to Ukraine to political investigations of Joe Biden. His testimony, alongside the pressure from citizens and lawmakers, helped to expose the situation. Though the trial did not lead to a conviction, the impeachment process itself was a demonstration of American citizens and lawmakers demanding honesty and accountability.

In each of these moments—whether the soldiers at Monmouth, the journalists of Watergate, or the citizens during the Trump impeachment—the commitment of American citizens emerges as a vital force. They are the ones who refuse to accept deception.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. spent his life holding people and institutions accountable for their failings. His leadership was grounded in the belief that truth and love could overcome the most entrenched systems of injustice. King’s words, spoken during his 1964 Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech, remind us of the enduring power of truth:

"I believe that even amid today's mortar bursts and whining bullets, there is still hope for a brighter tomorrow. I believe that wounded justice, lying prostrate on the blood-flowing streets of our nations, can be lifted from this dust of shame to reign supreme among the children of men. I refuse to accept despair as the final response to the ambiguities of history.”

The 2024 election requires that we channel King’s spirit and hold our elected leaders to the highest standards of integrity.

One of the greatest threats to democratic societies today is the escalating global assault on journalists. Across the world, authoritarian regimes are using intimidation, imprisonment, and violence to silence those who dare to expose the truth. According to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), 2022 saw a record number of journalists imprisoned globally, and it’s gotten worse since.

In Russia, reporters who challenge the state narrative face persecution, as seen in the case of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, who was unjustly detained for nearly 500 days on bogus espionage charges. Similarly, the 2018 assassination of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, a critic of Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, demonstrated the lengths to which authoritarian leaders will go to silence dissent.

Even in America, hostility toward journalists is growing. Former President Donald Trump's frequent attacks on the media, labeling journalists as "the enemy of the people," heightened skepticism and eroded trust in the press.

Declining press freedom is a threat not only to journalists but to democracy itself. Without an independent press to expose corruption and hold leaders accountable, citizens are left vulnerable to misinformation and bureaucratic corruption.

As citizens, we must take this election personally—not as passive observers but as active participants in a system that only functions with truth as its cornerstone. Without a free and independent press to challenge power, fight corruption, and provide voters with the facts, the foundation of democracy itself is at risk. In the face of these mounting global threats, we cannot afford complacency. The future of democracy depends on individual citizens’ willingness to protect the sanctity of the truth.