For the last two Presidential elections Americans said, "character

doesn't matter." We want someone in the White House who is like us, and makes us

feel good by telling us what we want to hear, and gives us a good economy. In

other words, feeling good and my checkbook are the issues, not

character. America, you are reaping what you sowed!

I am truly saddened to learn of the events that have happened in the

oval office in the White House that you and I pay for

with our tax dollars each day of our lives. I do not

enjoy writing a column such as this, but as men

and women of faith we must stand up and be counted.

It has been reported that President Reagan had such reverence for

that particular office in the White House where Clinton's immoral acts took

place that he would always wear his suit coat, in honor of the office of

the presidency and the men that had sat there. During the Iran Contra affair, he freely opened the phone records and files

for inspections when requested.

I feel President Clinton has set an all-time low American record for all the

presidents that will ever occupy that office. As men and women in the future run for the office

of the presidency, no matter what is in their background, they can always look to

President Clinton for the lowest moral standards and quote his conduct as the

example. They can point to the moral rot of his presidency and say, "well at least

I never had a 10-year affair with anyone and don't have as many persons

of the opposite sex to make sexual allegations as President Clinton

did, therefore you need to elect me as president."

The president and his beltway spin doctors, and some in the

news media, would want Americans to follow the president's example

and "compartmentalize our lives." They want us to believe that we have

our public lives at work, our private family lives at home with our

families, and then our private sex lives outside of marriage. They want you

to further believe that, like the president, it is OK to keep the lying facade

of all three just don't get caught. And to further add to this insult to

your intelligence, he offers a 4-1/2-minute, half-baked apology, and then

an attack on the man who uncovered all this. Personally, I feel Ken Starr

is an American hero. Had it not been for his tenacity, this would not

have been uncovered. President Clinton's "apology" reminded me of the

weak "statement" Jane Fonda made to America for her "excuses" for selling out our

country to the Communist North Vietnamese.

It is further interesting that President Clinton and the beltway spin doctors

keep quoting the amount Ken Starr has spent on this investigation. I have often

wondered how much of our tax dollars have been spent on hush money to keep this

president's "compartmentalized sex life" afloat? If you added all the salaries of all the people

he has employed over the years to keep up this immoral lifestyle, I feel the amount

would far exceed the amount of Ken Starr's investigation.

I spent a total of 30 years in the military, both reserve time and 22 years of

active duty as did my father before me. During that time, we were required to adhere to

a strict moral code. As an officer, or a noncommissioned officer, or an enlisted man,

we were all required and expected to follow this "code of conduct." If we did not,

we were subject to court martial, serious reprimands, or often pressure to resign.

Remember "Tailgate" and the repercussions to the highest ranking officers of the Navy?

There are many "victims" in this whole affair, but the victim is not President

Clinton mercilessly hounded by Ken Starr. You, America, have been victimized by the

years of abuses of this president's administration, but remember, "character doesn't

matter." Think of the life of Monica Lewinsky and her reputation and the reputation of

her family. I know she was a consenting adult and possibly will one day put her life

back together, and maybe even become rich over this but what a price she has paid.

She has been ridiculed and is the subject of every sleazy joke in America. I have

often wondered about all the other women who have come forth with allegations and

were ridiculed by the press and the beltway spin doctors and never had their cases

resolved. The president was the one in a position of power and influence and should be the

one setting the moral example. It will be interesting to see how the feminists fall on

this issue.

I have often wondered of another scenario with President Clinton and

Monica Lewinsky. What if this president had the high moral character that millions of

Americans thought he had? What if this 21-year-old, starry-eyed White House intern,

who was obviously enamored with him, had been mentored and counseled by the

president? What if he had encouraged her to continue with her job and her education,

and wished her well, and hoped that one day she would possibly find someone to

marry and have a family? It would have been interesting how her life may have

been changed for good.

I heard one of the news commentators quote King David from the Bible and how

he had taken Bathsheba and how he was certainly forgiven by God. What the

commentator failed to remember was that yes, God forgave him, but the sword never

left David's house, and he was not able to fulfill his lifelong dream of building the

temple. All of us have sinned, certainly I have, and we are forgiven when with a

repentant heart we ask for forgiveness from Almighty God through Christ as Lord and

Savior, but sin has its consequences.

President Clinton has, in my opinion, two options open to him that would show

that he had a shred of moral fiber. The soul of America is at stake here. One, he needs

to resign and all that he has done good for America will shine, or secondly we as

Americans need to impeach him as a message to Almighty God that there are a few

Americans that still believe that it is the character of America that matters and not just

our pocketbooks. Further it would show Almighty God that we are trying to be

"one nation under God" and "in God we trust." We can't have it both ways. God,

forgive, save and bless America!

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