Fairness is not an attitude it is a learned discipline that demands that we understand a great many things.

The journalist or editor of news stories should always strive for fairness, this requires that they understand not just the narrative of events but also the collateral information and finally, if possible, its consequences. A fair reporting regards the importance of the whole and the interdependence of its parts as essential.

Likewise, we teach children that fairness is based on a set of virtues to be acted on, in order to live rightly.

The etymology of the word virtue comes from the Latin word virtus; signify manliness or courage.

Unlike the Greek word for value areté, which means “being the best one can be,” virtus, stresses strength, toughness, simplicity, and bearing up under adversity.

One might argue that being virtuous requires hard work that leads to character.

Moral virtues, such as fairness, are means to regulate our interpersonal actions. These are learned habits, ways of acting that stem from proper learning and not just something inherent in human DNA.

Character is to virtue what judgment is to conscience, a finely tuned habit that demands vigilance of the mind.

Conscience is supposed to be the ability to distinguish whether one’s actions are right or wrong. If wrong it is said we feel remorse, because the thing goes against our moral values, if right we feel good because we have reinforced our moral values.

However, moral values are learned. There is not an omnipotent center within humans that sits in righteous judgment but a mind that learns, compares, evaluates and concludes. Therefore, conscience is only the sum total of what we have learned and believe to be right and wrong.

A terrorist may believe that it is right to murder because a particular teacher has convinced him that it is God’s will to murder a certain class of people. Another person may have been taught that eating oranges on Sunday is wrong, therefore, they will feel remorse if they eat an orange on Sunday, while the terrorist feels good about killing.

Conscience is not shaped by a spark of the divine but by the imperfect understanding of human beings.

So judgment by conscience is only as infallible as the person learning. So it is with fairness, it is only as just, as the person’s ability to reason based upon a set of standards.

This does not call for an advanced degree or even a GED. What it does require is observant education. A farmer may know more about fairness than a judge because nature can and will teach us right from wrong if we have ears to hear and eyes to see, of course, a nod is as good as a wink to a blind horse.

Having this in mind I would like to recognize that Pell City’s mayor has been doing an excellent job in conducting the city’s business fairly.

The City of Pell City has a representative form of government, in other words, we elect officials, council, mayor, etcetera to conduct city business on our, the citizens, behalf.

The mayor and most of the council have been acting responsible and fairly, not taking the easy road but the one that leads to daylight.

In teaching our children to act fairly we often say things like; treat people the way you want to be treated, take turns, tell the truth, play by the rules, think about how your actions will affect others and listen to people with an open mind.

Of course, these are difficult things for even adults to do, much less the children.

Mayor Bill Hereford has shown great “virtus” and is doing the hard things, with grace and wisdom on behalf of the city.

I encourage him to continue with audacity and empathy but also let the firings continue until morale improves.