Comments about ‘Letter: Maintaining integrity essential in all aspects of life’

I wonder if Mr. Porter ever thought about taking some action after observing the boys' wrongdoing, e.g. reporting it to the store manager or police, or confronting the boys directly. Certainly integrity is important, but if one who observes a lack of integrity does nothing, isn't that also something to condemn? Where was his sense of civic responsibility? Well, I guess he wrote a letter to the editor, but somehow that doesn't strike me as the most appropriate response under the circumstances.

Who in the world screens these inane letters that keep appearing in this newspaper..I mean really,there must be much better ones to publish that actually make a point..I do believe that integrity is very essential to maintain a just and decent society..However,getting a refill on a soda hardly rises to a high crime or even a minor one..Maybe these young men went outside to eat their burger in their truck and walked back in to get a refill..There are any number of scenerios here...Even if the writer is correct in his assertion that soda pop larceny was committed,was there really a financial hit on the business?What does a refill cost,maybe three cents..Perhaps these young men should be referred to sugar rehab to combat the addiction to sweets that many Utahans have...Next thing you know they will be heading to Colorado to ski(among other things),joining a union,or voting a straight Democratic ticket..Print meaningful letters DN,certainly you can do better..

RE: Curmudgeon:
Are you saying "Mr. Porter" should drive down the fast lane of the freeway at 65MPH to do his "civic responsibility"? Are you saying "Mr. Porter" should take video of every driver rolling a red light on a right hand turn to do his "civic responsibility"? Are you saying "Mr. Porter" should call store security every time he sees a person "taste a grape or two" from the produce counter, in order to do his "civic responsibility"? Crime is everywhere. You can't correct it by "turning everyone in". Mr. Porter is correct when he says the answer in much deeper--to correct our own feeling of integrity and responsibility instead of relying on being caught to remind us of what we do wrong. He is also correct in saying if left unchecked in youth, it will only get worse as they age.

Someday, these guys will make excellent candidates for Utah's legislature. Utahns re-elect crooks all the time, so why get excited about this little thing?

Mr. Porter is upset about the "integrity" of some boys and soda pop.

Where was his outrage about $Trillions handed-out to WallStreet?
Where was his outrage about invading Iraq and lying about Weapons of Mass Destruction?
Where was his outrage with $Billions given away in No-Bid Government contracts?
Where was his outrage about Mitt Romney running for President Flip-Flopping on every issue (lack of integrity)?

He's right about one thing,
These boys will grow up thinking they can take whatever they want so long as they can keep getting away with it.

I suggest a career in Politicas or High-end Business should be in order...

Mr. Porter is correct in pointing out that its' not the soda pop. It's the bigger issue of people taking what they want, or feel entitled to.

Business ethics has come to be defined as "as long as you don't get caught" it MUST be ethical.

Thats' not what ethics is all about.

Lets have our business and/or political leaders show what ethics are about - then see if the citizenry follow.

I've never met a young man who wasn't something of an opportunist; swiping pop from rotten ronnie is probably not a road to a life of crime. At some point, however, especially around the time you can afford to drive a truck, you should be paying your own way. One thing that grinds my gears is that, in all likelyhood, when these chaps are done with their ill gotten gains the cups go out the window. Everyone feels entitled to use the world as their dumpster these days.

BTW -

I know there will be conservatives on here todya that will somehow try to blame this on Government.

But the fact, there kids learned this at HOME from their PARENTS.

Perhaps beginning by watching Mommy and Daddy doing 70mph in a 65mph
or
California Stops
or
Butting in Line.

Integrity is about consistantly being honest,
even if and espicially when no-one else is looking.

This is nothing new. Stealing food and drink goes back to the dawn of time. Very observant though, noticing that it still is applicable today.

Re: "I do believe that integrity is very essential to maintain a just and decent society..However,getting a refill on a soda hardly rises to a high crime or even a minor one."

Then, you don't actually believe honesty is essential.

Sad.

I recommend that Jeff and others too, find and listen to Steven Covey’s “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People”.

In the way back prior to automobile air conditioning, a drug store in the middle west advertised “free Ice Water” along the very hot, very dry and long east/west highway of
western Kansas. Prior to the free ice water campaign they were a small drug store catering to the locals of a small town. The free ice water brought so many people to the store and town that the small drug store became a large retail establishment.

McDonalds like many other retail merchants spend millions of dollars in advertising and other programs just to get people to come into their business operation. While the free drink for the boys may do some harm to the boys, McDonalds gain is worth thousands of dollars just for the opportunity of having a potential customer come in. Maybe McDonalds should advertise free drink refills.

Ultra Bob
Cottonwood Heights, UT

Maybe McDonalds should advertise free drink refills.

===========

I know at MicroSoft,
The company provide free coffee and soda to employees in the break areas.

Now why would a company give away "Free" stuff like Obama-claus?

MicroSoft knows that -
Employees work harder and longer with less fatigue and complaing,
having it free and on-site keeps them at work with less distractions.

i.e., increased productivity -

And their "Return of Investment"?
a few pennies spent = mega-$$ Billions earned.

It's all about increased productivity....

Re: "Maybe McDonalds should advertise free drink refills."

Maybe so.

But, until they do, sneaking into an establishment and refilling a cup from a previous visit is thievery.

It's sad that thievery has so many defenders among us.

In other news --

The Deseret News reports today that PARENTS, not schools or Teachers, need to teach our children.

Too bad conservatives seem more concerned about the ACLU and banning children's books than about out right Thief in our society.

One poster seems to think that because McDonalds provides drinks for its employees that it should also provide free drinks for everyone. Does that poster have company provided health care? Does he think that his company should provide that healthcare to everyone?

Honesty is not something that anyone needs to "report"; it is something that is either a "core value" or it is not. Government does not "give" us an honesty allotment. We are either honest or we are not. There is no relationship between what government does, or doesn't do, to personal honesty. We are either honest or we are corrupt.

The local 24 hr McDonald's here was only taking cash after 10 pm and wouldn't take my debit card as payment.For months that went on. I emailed McDonald's and mentioned that as a former franchise owner myself, I wondered if they were sure that they were getting all the franchise fees they were owed by the gross sales numbers.

They were taking debit cards the next week all 24 hrs.

I am a high school student. This may have been me, I only do it after work and if I have eaten at Mcdonands that day before work. Its just getting a refill. I have asked the manager (good friends with my boss) and he says its his policy to refill cups free for a 24 hour period. Just bring the receipt and show them. The author may not have known the entire story.