Dear Ethicist, When media reports present a glaring violation of state ethics rules for elected officials do you have an ethical obligation to ensure the Texas Ethics Commission investigates the 'alleged' violation?In unrelated news, an ethics complaint was filed against Gene Seaman for paying his wife 'rent' on community property he shares with his wife in Austin, Texas. Sticky wicket, indeed.Thank you for your question. I believe the answer is a resounding yes. As a citizen it is up to each and everyone of us to perform our civic duty and ensure the public trust is not violated by our elected officials or ordinary citizens. If you become aware of a violation of state rules, it becomes your moral obligation to report them and ensure they are pursued to a responsible conclusion.
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Dear Half Baked:
What you propose is upside down logic. As we learn at an early age, "two wrongs do not make a right." While possessing and smoking marijuana is illegal, it is just as illegal to 'steal' it from your roommate. Your roommate has paid for his stash and to take it from him is stealing. There isn't a lot of gray area there.
Now, if you know your roommate has marijuana are you ethically bound to notify the authorities and turn him in? This is indeed an ethical fuzzy space. I would confiscate the marijuana and respectfully let your roommate know that it is unnacceptable and unlawful to possess or use illegal drugs and it is unacceptable to do so in your jointly shared home as it puts you in jeopardy...legally and ethically. Suggest your roommate seek treatment for marijuana use and remind him/her that the college days are over where youthful indiscretions have no consequences.
If he does not respect your superiority, then require he find alternate living arrangements.
--The ethicist
(See? I told y'all I would give you a real answer!)
You said "jointly..." Get it, dude?
You called him "Dude"...Shouldn't that be "Bud"?
^^^
Ahahaha!
I'm not The Ethicist, but I can still offer an opinion:
- are you stealing good, quality bud? Or are you just pinching out the shake? There's a big difference.
- how much, cumulatively, have you taken?
- is your roommate an asshole?
Dear Ethicist,
If I steal a bowl from my roommate, is that unethical? Because, leagally, he's, like, not supposed to have weed anyway, so, it's totally cool for me to make sure he's stays straight with the law, right?
You rock, dude.