There was a time when our actions were guided by a principle of doing what was right, and there was a general consensus about what that looked like.
Clearly the five hockey players who were acquitted of rape last week did not follow that principle, nor did the accuser. As he orchestrates the starving of the people trapped in Gaza, Netanyatu is also ignoring that principle. The same applies to Putin waging war in Ukraine.
I used to believe that the laws of a country reflected the moral values of its citizens, but that view seems to be naïve. It was a relief to see the NHL step up to say the league was not welcoming the acquitted players back into the NHL, stating that the allegations in the case were “very disturbing” and calling the players’ behaviour “unacceptable”, even though they were not deemed by the court to be criminal. The players’ return to the league will depend on an analysis of the case. It seems the NHL is trying to operate with a moral compass.
Leaders in our society hold their power only through our endorsement – explicit or implied. Their actions reflect our moral compass. We must hold fast to ours if we want our leaders to do the same.