Too Many Resort to Cheating

Re “Our Cheating Hearts” (Dec. 10). My reaction to hearing of the ways we formerly honest Americans have begun to cheat was: “Yeah, it’s no wonder America has turned bad” and “Yes, I, too, have been tempted lately to tell ‘white lies’ to protect myself; or to keep the change even though I know I’m being given back too much money.”

In the past, I have prided myself on being honest to the point of being obsessed. I, too, have changed, and I hate it.

What is our incentive anymore to be honest? We Americans have found that crime pays. We have it shoved down our throats every day through the news we read and hear. We are sickened by television minister scams, child-abusing teachers, Washington politicians’ greed and immoral lifestyles, CIA deceit, Wall Street greed, banks failing us, even though we shouldn’t dream of having to worry about it, secret Pentagon payoffs as incentives to big corporations, our own mayor, local senators, representatives and council members, U.S. justices, our President’s son, even a former astronaut.

It can’t get much worse than that, can it? Yes, I’m afraid it can--when we the “regular” American people also start to cheat.

CAROLYN HENSHAW

Lawndale