Its sounds very much that some confuse public responsibility and personal issues, and therefore see holding public officials and civil employees to a higher standard as personal attack.

To clarify, I do not see Christine as attacking the District Justice personally as she never mentions him by his Christian or given name, only by the office he holds. As John Doe, employed by Acme Inc., his DUI conviction would be a matter to be adjudicated in the courts and his employment negotiated or perhaps not changed at all at the whims of Acme Inc. District Justices and City Employees, however, are employees of the taxpayer. They should be answerable to their constituents, the taxpayers, the public, We the People. By taking a public office, the District Justice opened himself to public scrutiny and perhaps should have found a better mode of expression. From your statement, Lee, he would agree, as he apologized for his actions. By publicly owning up to his DUI as well as suffering a conviction, that belies your statement that Christine is slandering. Slander refers to a malicious, false and defamatory spoken statement or report, while libel refers to any other form of communication such as written words or images. So technically, you meant libel. Since this statement is based in fact, it seems that it isn't gossip either; she is simply pointing it out as a similar case involving a public official and a DUI to the one involving the City Employee in the salt truck.

My feeling on the issue is this: I heartily agree that at times of trouble, one definitely needs support. We seem to differ on the source of it. I feel that family, friends, church, social groups, neighbors, even co-workers, can be excellent resources for a person in need of direction, if they chose to be there for the person in need. It seems that government entities are choosing to make taxpayers responsible for supplying that second chance in cases where laws have been broken and lives have been put in danger. It's rather like your mom making you babysit your drunk uncle.

Lawmakers, police, anyone holding public office, civil employees, and teachers—all should be held to a higher standard. Clerics, youth group leaders, sports figures, anyone who puts themselves forward in the public eye as a mentor—should hold themselves to a higher standard. And throw parents in there too. If we had better role models for our youth and set the bar higher, maybe the next generation wouldn't need to kick themselves because their prison was too small before it was even finished.