All right, I am going to be honest. This column started out as a political one, but it has become more about self help with a political concentration.

Today I am going to be talking about decency. ere are many ways to look at this subject; I am going to hit it at a broad angle.

Being a decent human being means having prop- er speech, dress, and manners. is is very important when talking about politics, but also hugely important for life in general. I am sure some of us think to ourselves that we would fall under this term with- out a doubt, but I would challenge that. Many of us think that we are a decent person, but, in reality, we are not. Maybe we are in most aspects of our lives, but to be a decent person we must strive to be decent in every aspect.

Okay, so I have used the term “decent” a lot so far. e reason I use this term is because, from a Christian viewpoint, none of us can be “good” because, if you happen not to be Christian, the term “good” is completely subjective. “De- cent,” though, is “decent;” there is little room for interpretation.

Now, if we start with decent speech, we first have to define it. There are many ways to define it, but I would say decent speech is uplifting and positive. is is a Christian value but still a good way to live your life from a secular viewpoint. No one really likes to be around people who put others down or who are negative, and for good reason. Be the person people want to be around by speaking decently.

Let’s talk about swearing; the argument that has been posed to me is that some words considered swear words are great for expressing oneself. While I do agree that their power can be used to emphasize something, therein arises the question: Is it worth it? I would argue that they are crude and tasteless at best. We should hold ourselves to higher standards: that of those where we do not need such words to express our thoughts. ere is an argument to be made for the artistic use of those words. I, as an artist, would agree that sometimes using them in that fashion can be beneficial to the point being made.

As for dress, if I am being honest, the majority of us have this down. Because of social pressure and approval, it is hard to fit into society without dressing well or having consistently clean clothing. More things fall under dress than clothing. We have to think about hygiene as it pertains to appearance.

Talking to the guys now, we have to make sure we are showering regularly, brushing our teeth, putting on clean clothing, and putting on deodorant, if not cologne. Men can be the worst offenders, but that is not to say that women cannot also break this rule. I would argue that this is because of the social pressures put on women that are not necessarily put on men.

Now, guys, there are many reasons why we need to dress decently, from set- ting good impressions with new people we meet and bosses we have and being more approachable to its simplest form, being attractive. This is a reality that we all have to face. Being attractive is a very important thing for life, not only for finding someone to marry but also to anyone around us. That is the key thing in making us approachable. Be the type of person you would like to approach.

I would define manners as the way you act. There are good and bad manners; we are going to focus on the decent ones. What do decent manners look like? Ones that are calm, caring, empathetic, and patient.

Decent manners remind me of the way the Bible de-scribes love in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7. This is the way we should all act on a regular basis regardless of our religious affiliation or lack thereof.

No one wants to be around a person who is rude, mean or uncaring. So again, be the person that people will want to be around.

With all of that said, I hope that my words can have a positive impact on your life and the lives of those around you.