Thank goodness I no longer have younger children who may have asked me what a brothel is this past week after seeing hourly updates about National Basketball Association star Lamar Odom found unconscious after an alleged overdose.

Often, young aspiring basketball players look to NBA stars and other sports figures as role models.

Enter into this a Kardashian, whose claim to fame is a reality show, making medical decisions on Odom’s behalf.

Perhaps the youth aspire to be a Kardashian - get your own reality show and your family can earn close to a reported $10 million per season.

Perhaps the youth hope to hold a public office where on a local or national level they can “represent the people.”

Current celebrities and those running for office enter into these professions knowing their lives will be made public and their privacy invaded.

They choose this lifestyle.

But what does it say as a nation when we allow and stand for the mud slinging that becomes part of each political campaign.

From what I have seen, the people have been sending the message “politics as usual will not fly.”

Citizens are tired of using their tax dollars to elect people to office where nothing seems to get done.

In local races, I have watched candidates attack other candidates’ families.

In the presidential race, comments about women, reporters, television stations, immigrants and more become top news for days.

Questions about integrity, truthfulness and competency are being raised about the candidates.

For me, I want to elect a person who is knowledgeable and honest, makes sound judgments, has good morals, knows right from wrong and follows those guidelines. The person does not have to be an expert on every subject; they need to surround themselves with people who can provide the facts.

The person I want to elect must have tact and be able to handle themselves in a professional manner at all times.

I think you call that “class.”

I do not want to be embarrassed by something my elected official said or did.

The majority of young people do not have the time to research the candidates, their values, their issues and their platforms. They only know what they see on television as it is dramatized on every channel for days.

They see mugshots and hear about drunk driving arrests, domestic abuse, drug overdoses and more. After a while, if you hear it enough, it becomes acceptable.

How will this complacency affect the future generations of this world?

Instead of the bar being raised, the bar keeps going lower and lower as this unacceptable behavior becomes normal.

Celebrities: Get your act together. If you cannot handle the pressure of your large salaries and lavish lifestyles, get out of the game.

Candidates: Start talking about the issues instead of what your opponents are not doing right. What will you do if I elect you? What is on your radar, and in all reality, will you be able to accomplish those goals by cutting through political red tape? Be realistic. Stop promising what you cannot deliver.

And for God’s sake, stop being poor examples for our youth.

Let’s get back to showing them we really do have class.

Debbie Galbraith

editor

East Penn Press

Salisbury Press