Letter: Hold public servants to a higher standard

Friday, July 27, 2007 | 7:29 a.m.

When public servants take the oath of office they are making a pledge to their fellow man and woman and to God. They go into office to fulfill a promise. They, in essence, place themselves on a pedestal of honor.

Too many public servants in this country betray the honor of the office they enter into. Las Vegas is one prime example of people stomping on that pledge of honor. The oath of office these people put their hands on the Bible and pledge to uphold, has to have an addition: "While I'm in office if I'm convicted of a crime pertaining to my duties as a public servant, and said crime results in a prison sentence, said sentence is to be doubled with no chance of early parole." Then, and only then, can the oath have some real meaning.

In some countries crimes done while you're in office are dealt with rather harshly, like execution. Why should a person who steals one loaf of bread get a heavy prison sentence compared with a person who steals a truckload of bread getting a light sentence?

Wake up, America. We're preaching democracy around the world. Isn't that one of the cornerstones of democracy - honor?

John Tominsky, Las Vegas