Jack Abramoff's lobbying ethics compared to a family financial dilemma

Ethical Dilemma: Comparison to Behavior of Abramoff in Washington Circles

The objective of this study is to consider the work of Jack Abramoff, which was illegal although the company for whom he worked was completely satisfied with his work. Abramoff was a lobbying and had the ability to get laws passed. In addition, this study will detail an ethical dilemma the writer has faced at work or home and consider the decisions that were made that resulted in one part being hurt or offended regardless of the choice made. The situation will be described and the choice that the writer was faced with and why the course of action taken was chosen. The situation described in this study involves an ethical dilemma in the family, which was experienced by the writer of this work.

Introduction

Following the death of the writer's mother, the youngest sister of the writer, upon having her birthday forgotten by her father, as well as the birthdays of her two daughters being forgotten, went to the bank and withdrew the amount of $38,000.00 from her father's checking account. The amount withdrawn represented her age, that being thirty years of age, and the ages of her two daughters who were five and three years of age. The writer's father called the writer and informed her of what had occurred and that while he should not have forgotten the birthdays he had experienced trouble since the death of the mother of these two women in remembering events such as birthdays. The writer reminded the father that it was he that had insisted that the youngest daughter who was ten years younger than the writer be spoiled and indeed this was the case.

II. The Ethical Decision Applied

The writer of this work contacted her younger sister and after an hour or explaining to the younger sister that to keep the money would be to sully her untarnished reputation both in the family and the community, the younger sister finally broke down into tears and agreed that she was indeed in error and would return the money to their father's checking account the following day.

III. The Outcomes

The relationship between the two sisters has been strained since the older sister became involved in the ethical dilemma arising from the money extracted from their father's checking account. Since that time the father of these two women has passed away and the stepmother has been found to have stolen $150,000.00 of their father's estate which will be litigated and possibly result in criminal charges being filed upon their father's widow. The younger sister berates the older sister now for having influenced her to return the money to her father's account. However, the writer of this work reminds her sister that if she had not returned the money that she would be guilty of same unethical behavior of their stepmother.

III. Comparison to Abramoff's Behavior in Washington Circles

Abramoff operated in a culture characterized by unethical behavior and this behavior became acceptable and the norm for those operating in these circles in Washington. Unethical behavior, when it is ongoing becomes so much a part of the 'norm' that soon it is forgotten that the behavior is indeed unethical. When ethical violations are committed in an organization, community, or family, if someone fails to take a stance on this type of behavior the behavior will soon characterize the status quo or that which is deemed acceptable. It is rarely popular to take such a stance but doing so can assist in the prevention of the development of a culture of unethical behavior.

Summary and Conclusion

It is not always popular to take an ethical stance when unethical behavior is observed in any group or setting. However, doing is not only the right thing to do but is the logical action when the individual desires that the environment in which they live, work, or exist remain one characterized by ethical behavior.