The ugly words and the hateful attitudes displayed by Los Angeles City Council persons on the recording released last week violated the principle of respecting the worth and dignity of all people cherished by our Unitarian Universalist faith.  The incident made me think about the responsibilities of folks whose job requires them to represent a group of people or an institution:  jobs like a council person, or a minister.

A minister has power that comes with the office.  When I visit a church member in the hospital, for instance, it isn’t just me visiting, I bring the church with me, and that adds a special kind of comfort.  

Misconduct, according to a colleague who recently shared this definition with me, is when an individual misuses the power of their position to serve their own needs.  The power that comes with the office is there to serve others, not the officeholder.  It’s not about increasing my wealth, or boosting my ego, or healing my anxieties or loneliness, or fears.  Once a powerful person begins to make their job more about serving themselves than serving the community their office represents, they are working irresponsibly.  They should resign.