| I am sharing a personal experience with a | | | | had never done a harmful thing in his life, out of a |
| dear friends son, who is a wonderfully intelligent and | | | | troubling and terrifying situation and in finding an |
| benevolent soul. After spending four years in the air | | | | assistant living place for his mom that is working out |
| force, graduating from ITT and settling down in a very | | | | extremely well for all concerned. The young man is |
| excellent career choice in technology, something | | | | living a normal life today with his wife and young |
| happened to this quietly charming and smart young | | | | daughter. I believe, because the system allowed for |
| man, that would change our lives forever. | | | | an investigation on his mother and in revealing her |
| This young man drove from Virginia to Maryland one | | | | medical records saved this young man's life. |
| night and ended up in jail with a future sentence of 15 | | | | There were obligations, as loving family memebers, |
| years, five of which included a handgun charge. | | | | obligations of prosecutors, doctors, judges, etc... in |
| Although the handgun was registered, it was taken | | | | assuring that the young man would not cause harm to |
| across state lines. The striking part about this particular | | | | himself or anyone else. There were moral ideals, |
| saga is that he had no idea as to why he woke up | | | | referencing the art of temperance, justice and fortitude |
| one morning in jail! All he could remember was driving | | | | that seemed prevalent and more difficult to think |
| home from work that evening. It was sad to find out | | | | around and bring about than ever before as the |
| that it all happened because he had a 50% chance of | | | | consequences neared, that was simply unthinkable. |
| acquiring an illness from his mother. He simply had a | | | | In creating my own system to use for making ethical |
| nervous break down at the age of 27. He had | | | | decisions where there are conflicting and moral issues |
| acquired the responsibility of taking care of his | | | | and in analyzing the strengths and weaknesses in my |
| cancer-ridden father, who had recently transitioned and | | | | approach, I use my friend's son experience. Before |
| his mother who was diagnosed with schizophrenia | | | | passing judgment, before allowing my imagination to |
| many years prior. It seemed that when his grand | | | | run wild, before making any decision, I would hope to |
| -mother died, he decided to become solely responsible | | | | try to put myself in the position of that person's |
| for his mother. He also had the responsibility of his | | | | circumstance. After positioning myself as deemed |
| younger sister. He had subconsciously driven to | | | | appropriate, I would begin to study the details of the |
| Maryland to get help from family members, but instead | | | | case in question and providing, as well as including all |
| ended up listening to the voices in his head that told | | | | relevant parties/professionals as part of the |
| him to rob a near by gas station. Immediately the | | | | decision-making efforts. I know, from this experience, |
| attendants knew that something was wrong with this | | | | that things are hardly ever the way they seem. The |
| young man because it was not a normal robbery. | | | | strength in using my system is the idea of one simply |
| The young man stood there, with tears in his eyes, | | | | developing the need to work towards innocence |
| apologizing, taking no money and handing over the | | | | rather than to find fault and victory in guilt. I believe |
| unloaded gun to the attendant. He appeared, | | | | that people are innocent before guilty and that each |
| harmless while the attendant called the police. When | | | | case has a profound story of truth and untruth in its |
| the police arrived, they could clearly see that this young | | | | own light. We must allow truth as much time as we |
| man was distraught and by no means violent or | | | | allow for untruth. We have not done this because |
| harmful, but instead remorseful and obediently | | | | there are many innocent people in jail today. The |
| disoriented. To make a long story short, the young | | | | weaknesses in my system may be that I allow too |
| man ended up in jail. It was not very long before he | | | | much room for compassion and empathy. As noted |
| was taken to a mental facility and diagnosed with a | | | | in the article, A Framework for Ethical Decision Making, |
| mild form of schizophrenia, clearly derived from stress | | | | "Ethics in not the same as feelings, religion, law, |
| and genetically inherited from his mother. The | | | | culturally accepted norms, or science, but in following |
| doctors assured the family that it was probably a | | | | the right approach". I believe that one's ethical action |
| once in a lifetime occurrence and suggested that he | | | | can be the last resort in protecting the innocence and |
| be medicated and relieve of such a stressful life. The | | | | revealing the guilty, no matter what the circumstance |
| family spend thousands on attorney fees and | | | | or situation. |
| specialist, in an attempt to get this young man, who | | | | |