Can You Identify With Brian Williams?

Brian Williams seemed to have it made. A 55-year old, handsome, well-spoken, easy-going man at the top of his profession.  He is (or was) a classic success story as well.  A good Irish-Catholic boy who started his work life as a busboy.  He started but didn’t finish college.  Instead, he found a career path in journalism and walked that path all the way to the top.  In ten years Mr. Williams made his network’s evening news broadcast the leader among all rivals. 

But.  It seems Mr. Williams had a problem: he allegedly made up facts to make tragic events even more tragic. He “conflated” facts, as he puts it; he “mis-remembered” events that for the rest of humanity would be burned in our memory. Who could “mis-remember” whether you got shot down in a helicopter?

And now it is time to own up to reality.  A long time ago Sir Walter Scott wrote, “Oh what a tangled web we weave/When first we practice to deceive.”  The web Mr. Williams is now caught up in resulted in his suspension from his job, and much more social disdain than one could ever imagine would be put upon a celebrity of the stature of Mr. Williams.

So, the easy commentary is to join the crowd which is bashing him.  Still, I wonder what separates me; what separates you from Mr. Williams.  His errors are certainly much more public than any errors I make or that you make in your life. But  I don’t want to go down that path either, really. I like the fact that, at least this time, the trait of honesty is getting some good air time.  Isn’t it comforting to know that we still value honesty above celebrity?  I wonder if that is a lesson we all can take to heart.

The temptation we all face in our work, even in our relationships, is to cut corners; put a favorable spin on the facts; dress up the truth a little.  The good news is that speaking the truth in love and with grace is still fashionable.  There is always a need to speak with discretion, of course. But if there is a lesson to take from Mr. Williams it is this: the truth will prevail. Do not start down the path of deception thinking that it is anything other than a dead-end.  “Thou shalt not lie” is still fashionable. Thank God.