How are hypocrisy and “victimless crime” linked to unethical behavior? It is a question I am often asked when I am delivering a keynote speech or working as an ethics consultant. “Hypocrisy” or pretense can clearly be unethical.
Going back to its roots, is a physician who claims and administers a miracle treatment, that, while harmless, but cures nothing, a hypocrite? Absolutely. Is a supposedly devout religious leader who runs a bookie joint and gambling den committing a victimless crime? Not really; gambling and usurious money lending create many victims. By and large, I know as an ethics keynote speaker and ethics consultant that hypocrisy is often unethical, and leads to higher levels of pretense, abuse and scandal. It is a downward spiral.
The sting
Ethical behavior does not, necessarily, preach morality. However, unethical behavior, when linked to hypocrisy, can spread its tentacles throughout a community or system. It is against this backdrop that I note a syndicated story by Sarah Rumpf (January 24, 2023) about a massive prostitution ring that was just revealed in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area.
The sting led to nearly 50 arrests in a two-day operation, at two area hotels. It required about a dozen police departments to coordinate the operation.
According to the article:
“The men allegedly arranged online to meet at the hotels where they intended to pay for sex. In Texas, the solicitation of prostitution is considered a felony and is punishable with up two years in prison and a $10,000 fine.”
The names of the defendants have not been “officially” released, but the names have surfaced in any case. Allegedly included are a high school teacher, a football coach, a youth pastor, a volunteer firefighter, a semi-professional hockey player, and the director of operations for a large hospital network.
Ethics is not about preaching morality. However, ethics does not shy away from the ripple effects of unethical acts such as were part of the sting.
At its highest point of observation, Texas and many other parts of the country have experienced widespread problems with sex slavery and human trafficking. The powerless immigrants are often forced into prostitution. They are illegal, and hence have no voice or legal rights. In addition, with the flow of these women, often come the flow of illegal drugs such as opioids. More often than not, the women are underaged – not much more than teenagers held as hostages, to pay off a debt to cartels.
Putting those caught in the sting up to the realities of the sex-slaves mentioned above, it is impossible to deny the complicity of those who are teachers, coaches and ministers. Considering that prostitution with multiple partners spreads STDs, it further makes me wonder about those caught who have links to the healthcare industry.
If I take it out of the practical and put those caught into the “sting” of the worlds of spirituality or leadership or mentoring, the lack of ethics among the so-called professionals who were caught is staggering. The coach who was caught has already resigned. What about teachers, community leaders, volunteers and fathers?
The ripples
The ripple effect here, is that this activity will invariably lead to job terminations, losses of reputation, and perhaps divorces and separations. As mentioned above, as an ethics keynote speaker and ethics consultant, the true crime these men must now contend with is a loss of trust and the inescapable fact that they frequented women who were forced into trafficking and slavery.
Everyone will now lose. Hypocrisy was allowed to run rampant. While I obviously lack knowledge as to the personal lives of the men involved, I do know their lives will never be the same. Choices lead to consequences and pleasure often leads to pain. In the fleetest moment, ethical behavior could have helped every one of the people involved.
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