Commentary: Truth, not loyalty or allegiance, will always set you free
James B. Ewers Jr.
![Commentary: Truth, not loyalty or allegiance, will always set you free](https://wschronicle.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/ewers-680x365_c.jpg)
We strive to be good people each day. Unfortunately, that is easier said than done. We wake up each morning wanting to do the right thing, but our day sometimes takes some twists and turns. Sometimes we stand for right, but we fall for wrong.
Paul, the apostle, gives us some spiritual wisdom to consider about right and wrong. Paul says he knows what is right, but he does wrong anyway. It is safe to assume that all of us have fallen victim to the challenges of right and wrong.
These two positions can also get tangled up with loyalty and allegiance. I have experienced loyalty and allegiance in my professional life. They are great attributes to have and are looked upon admirably in the workplace.
I believe that loyalty and allegiance are inextricably tied to the truth. In my opinion, being loyal and lying just doesn’t go together. At some unknown point, the lies will catch up with you and shame and disgrace will fall upon you.
Michael Cohen has fallen into an abyss of lies and wrongdoing. Cohen, a self-proclaimed fixer, was the current president’s personal attorney until things hit the fan. As we know, Cohen and the president are being investigated for election wrongdoing in the last election. Russia’s alleged tampering in the 2016 election has long been a topic that haunts the current administration.
Cohen’s three-year prison term is to begin in May. Until that time, he will do everything to postpone it or decrease it. Congress, Robert Mueller, and the Southern District of New York have all been a sore spot for Michael Cohen. Representative Elijah Cummings, chairman of the House Oversight Committee, gave a compelling closing statement after Cohen’s first public hearing a few days ago where he was allegedly telling the truth. Cummings admonished Cohen, but also gave him some words of encouragement.
The fixer called the sitting president a liar and a cheat. If you backpedal to a year ago, Cohen was singing the praises of Mr. T. Now with the threat of jail looming large in his life, he has completely changed his story.
It is my opinion that early on, Michael Cohen believed he would get a presidential pardon, so he continued to lie and be loyal to the president. Both the president and Cohen are mixed up in confusion and abuse of power. However, the difference is that the president is still standing (for now) and Michael Cohen has fallen.
This is what happens when you follow someone blindly without regard for your own personal welfare. Cohen wallowed in wrongdoing for so long that he convinced himself that it was right.
Is it too late for Michael Cohen? I believe Cohen is going to prison. How much time will he serve?
Morally, all of us deserve a second chance. So, his contrition and penance will hopefully lead him in the right direction. He may just “turn his life around.” Find out more about Charles Colson, who served as Special Counsel to President Nixon. He became an evangelist before he passed away.
The lesson in this tale of schemes and avarice is that it may look attractive and powerful, but it will cause you unspeakable pain. Our tomorrow is filled with hope and possibility. Michael Cohen’s tomorrow is filled with gloom and adversity.