Many citizens devoid of character

The six building blocks of Character published by Frank Schaffer Co. displayed at Cascade Commons in Mount Vernon:

"Respect. People who are respectful follow the Golden Rule — they treat others the way they would want to be treated. They:

Are polite and courteous.

Treat everyone well, even if they look, act or behave differently.

Solve disagreements by peaceful means.

Citizenship. People who are good citizens:
Cooperate with others.

Contribute to their community and work to improve it.

Obey rules and laws.

Trustworthiness. People who are trustworthy:

Are honest in their words and actions.

Do what they say they will do.

Do what they know is right, even when it is difficult.

Are good friends.

Fairness. People who are fair:

Play by the rules.

Are open-minded. They listen to and think about different points of view.

Do not take advantage of others.

Speak up and work to change things that are unfair.

Responsibility. People who are responsible:

Do what they are supposed to do.

Do their best and work hard at what they do.

Think about how their actions affect others.

Accept the consequences of their choices.

Caring. People who care:

Are kind with their words and actions.

Think about other peoples' feelings and needs.

Help others.

Give without thinking about what they will get in return."

After reading this, I realized how many millions of our citizens are completely devoid of character.

Richard H. Royston
Mount Vernon

Letters to the Editor - Skagit Valley Herald