Burqa ban vs. Christian Flag ban – Where do you fall on the ethics of the Governmental decisions?

O.K. – I know that this is a controversial subject, but at times it is worth taking the time to explore choices, consequences and opinions.

Earlier today a report came out in Fox News of – what they referred to as – a Holy War in a little town in NC (the state of my residence).  The article stated the following:

A holy war is brewing in a small North Carolina city, where the Christian flag seems to be flying everywhere.

A meeting of the King, N.C., City Council was packed on Monday with dozens of citizens who asked city officials to put the Christian flag back up at the local Veterans War Memorial. The council had voted to take down the flag rather than spend the estimated $200,000 to $300,000 it would cost to fight the American Civil Liberties Union in a First Amendment lawsuit.

“The city received inquiries from the ACLU and the Americans United for the Separation of Church and State suggesting that the Christian flag flying over the Veterans Memorial at Central Park violates the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution,” City Manager John Cater said. “At the advice of the city attorney, the City Council voted to take down the Christian flag at last night’s City Council meeting, citing the enormous cost associated with fighting a potential lawsuit on the issue.”

Katy Parker of the ACLU in North Carolina told FoxNews.com, “The city council did the right thing to take down the flag because it was endorsed by the city as part of a public monument. Now, if private citizens want to hold the flags, it is absolutely their right to do so.”

As an ethics speaker and author, I often pose questions that seem to illustrate the conflict between law and what many would call ethical behavior.   If you define ETHICS as “that branch of philosophy dealing with values relating to human conduct, with respect to the rightness and wrongness of certain actions and to the goodness and badness of the motives and ends of such actions,” one might easily say that the values of this community – their human conduct – represents the ethics and values that they hold fast to and to remove (as is the case here) the Christian Flag from a public display lack ethics, values and does not represent the code of human conduct that is pervasive in this tiny North Carolina town.

QUESTION: When testing the outcome of an action (the removal of the flag in this case) between the ethical beliefs of the community in contrast to the law – which should win?

Should the offense of one or two outweigh the desires of the many?

BUT LET’S LOOK FURTHER…

Today, according to a CNN report, top constitutional authorities in France approve the banning of the burqa and other Islamic face coverings.  The report states the following:

France’s plan to ban the burqa and other Islamic face coverings in public places is legal, top constitutional authorities in France ruled Thursday, so the law goes into effect immediately.

In September the French senate approved the law – making France the first European country to nationally impose such a measure. The legislation was overwhelmingly approved by the lower house of parliament in July.

French people back the ban by a margin of more than four to one, the Pew Global Attitudes Project found in a survey earlier this year.

In this case the question, like the one above, rests on the law vs. the ethical choices of a group or religious beliefs of a group and popular legislative beliefs and actions.  Female members of the Islamic faith in France are faced with a real conundrum.  Do they comply with Islamic law or expectations or do they comply with the law of the land in which they reside?

QUESTION:  Is it ethical for a government to take an action that addresses the ability of an individual to practice their religion when the interests of the population is take away that religious compliance option?

It is not my intent to express an opinion one way or the other, rather, my hope is that we raise the discussion regarding religious desire, practice, compliance, law and ethics.

FEEL FREE TO SHARE YOUR COMMENTS

Rosemont at Patwood – Where Service Quickly Ends! A Greenville, SC Customer Service disaster…at least that’s my opinion!

Sometimes we find the “Devil in the Details”.  I recall when I was diagnosed with Prostate Cancer that it took a little time to understand just what I was facing and understand the “rules of the game” so to speak and how to deal with what was ahead.  Well…not that renting a temporary apartment while away from home is “Prostate Cancer”, but for sure when the ink is dry you do begin to find out truly what you are facing and the quality of the folks you’re dealing with.

Now, first things first, as a business ethics speaker I often write about experiences both good and bad.  My readers (which vary from time to time) know that I am willing to be transparent.  I make mistakes and find that accepting responsibility for them is healthy and beneficial.  But, there are times when I find that business organizations – like Rosemont at Patewood – create an environment that is customer friendly or intolerant and insensitive.  Those who fall into the latter categories challenge the very definition of customer friendly and customer service environments.

HERE’S THE STORY:

As Chief Operating Officer of a national company and international speaker, I travel alot.   In September (sometime toward the middle of the month) I rented a simple one bedroom apartment from the (what seemed to be) fine folks at Rosemont at Patewood in Greenville, SC.  The process seemed to be fairly easy.  To pay my first months rent I had to provide a certified check (which I admit made sense).  The lease paperwork was presented to me and within 10 minutes I had signed more papers than it took to buy my last home – actually my last two homes.  And like most people, I did not take the time to read every page.  BIG MISTAKE!!!   I readily admit my mistakes.  And as I started this – I said – THE DEVIL IS IN THE DETAILS.

The move in was easy.  The apartment was old and certainly not up to what I would consider modern standards, but it was acceptable and clean.  There are some issues, like hearing the folks above me start their bath water at 5:30 a.m. each day and walk with some real heavy feet, but that’s apartment living (I guess).

Month two… (Now here’s where it get’s interesting)… I am out of town more than I’m in town – which I told the folks at the apartment complex when I moved in).  So, at the first of the month I am out of town – back on Sunday October 3rd and back out on the 4th.  I go by to pay my rent (because they can’t just draft it from my account – which would make sense in this digital age) and find that there is no DROP BOX.  “Wow,” I think to myself, “this is really inconvenient.  If there is no drop box and you are not here at the first of the month – how do you pay your rent?”

Wednesday evening the 6th I return at 9:45 p.m. – thinking, I’ve got to get them their check tomorrow – knowing that they open their office at 9:00 a.m. – typically long after I’ve gone to work.  AGAIN INCONVENIENT.  So, doing the right thing (I think) I defer an early morning appointment to bring by my check.  Again, thinking – “This is not very customer friendly.”  Well…THAT’S NOT THE HALF OF IT…

9:00 a.m.  I was greeted at the door by a smiling face telling me as I handed her the check – “We can’t accept that.  You’re late and we have to now have a certified check.”  Shocked at my initial greeting she proceeded to say, “The cut off is the 5th and today is the 7th.”  What she said was true.  Today is the 7th and the only day I was here to pay my rent was Sunday the 3rd and guess what – no one was there to collect it and there was NO DROP BOX within which I could leave it.  To add insult to injury – I was told that I must pay $145 in penalties for the two day delay.

“So let me get this straight – You don’t provide a way for me to leave my check (NO DROP BOX) when the payment is due and since I’m out of town and just back last night – I bring it by today and now not only am I late, but I must pay a penalty?”

Her response kindly stated was, “That’s right.  And I need a certified check – we won’t accept your personal check.”

AMAZING – LACK OF CONVENIENCE!

We’ll, again getting ready to head out of town, I go get cash and, take time away from work in order to take care of personal business.  I bring it by there office.  TO MY UTTER SURPRISE – I am greeted with, as I count out cash including my additional $145 fee, WE CAN’T TAKE CASH!  If I had false teeth I am sure at that moment they would have fallen out!  Talking about feeling a mind wabble – I am bringing by US Legal Tender and am told that cash is not acceptable.

DECIDE FOR YOURSELF…

1. NO DROP BOX for rent collection
2. NO BANK DRAFT OPTION which I would be the first to sign up for so that it is just “sucked” from my account
3. NO WILLINGNESS TO ACCEPT CASH for the payment of one’s rent

Perhaps many will disagree, but THIS IS A CUSTOMER SERVICE DISASTER and a business that, now given a choice, I would avoid like the plague.  I have no choice, but to again be inconvenienced, and work within their limited guidelines.   In fairness, I was told today I could pay my rent at their web site, but telling me today isn’t helping with the lack of convenience above and lack of communication on the front end when I could have been given that as a clear payment option.

In today’s environment, the customer is KING.  I believe in playing by the rules.  Likewise, I know that if the rules favor convenience and customer service you will have customers for life.  On the other hand, when the CUSTOMER IS INCONVENIENCED and the RULES BECOME SO RIGID as to make life less than reasonable (I mean there is nothing more reasonable than paying one’s rent with CASH) then it’s time to expose it for what it is.

The DEVIL is in the DETAILS!  CUSTOMER SERVICE IS LACKING and CONVENIENCE IS DEVILISHLY MISSING at ROSEMONT at PATEWOOD.  Be warned…

YOUR COMMENTS ARE WELCOME!

Motivational Speaker Scam? Insight Publishing – Something is not right in Sevierville, TN

I don’t care what business it is – success is founding on the choices you make.  There are no short cuts or easy ways to finding success, rather success is founded on fundamental principles applied consistently through your life choices.  As a business ethics speaker, I know from personal experience what it takes to create the outcomes you desire.

That said, part of what I do is focus a spotlight on unethical behavior, scams and/or frauds.  I cannot say that what I am reporting on here is a scam, but there are too many issues arising related to the speaking business coming out of little Sevierville, TN to be coincidence.

First – here are two of my most recent posts related to speaker services and issues coming out of that little town in Tennessee:

http://chuckgallagher.wordpress.com/2010/09/29/motivational-speakers-beware-willow-mist-brenda-keefer-international-speakers-network-and-the-great-speaker-scam/

http://chuckgallagher.wordpress.com/2010/09/28/brenda-keefer-and-willow-mist-professional-speaker-services-business-ethics-gone-south-or-just-a-plain-ole-scam/

NEXT OFFER…

So today I receive this email that offers me (I’m sure this offer has been made to thousands of speakers) a chance to co-author a book with Deepak Chopra and Ken Blanchard – both of whom I respect and neither of whom I know personally.

Really…I think to myself.  Ken and Deepak want to work with me?  What an appeal to ego huh?  But, let’s look closer.  The offer states:

1 chapter left in our book project Roadmap to Success with chapters by Deepak Chopra and Ken Blanchard. You have been pre-selected to be a co-author, as our research department has recognized you as an expert strategist. We will focus on topics that are necessary for success in your business and or personal life. There will be 15 chapters total in the book. Please see below some topic suggestions.

The book will contain principles and topics applying to everyday lives and careers. Our authors find it easier for their books to be reviewed. Opportunities for media coverage are also greatly increased. Imagine your ideas and your story appearing in newspapers and magazines! Imagine yourself on talk radio! You gain maximum exposure, reinforce your credentials, and build credibility.  It also represents real value for your audience. Your investment in this project is your inventory of books which depending on your package has an ROI of more than $16,000.

Inventory Choices

200 books $ 1144

300 books $ 1716

500 books $ 2540

1,000 books $ 3800

No interest payment plans are also available.

Hum … I can write “my” chapter and have it included along with others with my picture on the cover with Deepak and Ken – making it look like I was “chicken eatin buddies” with these masters.  The only cost to me is a mere approximately $3.5 to $5.5 cost per book.  Looks to me like it is a way to sell books masquerading as co-authorship – when in reality Chopra and Blanchard have no clue (at least I think that is true) who they are lending their name to as co-authors.

Here more though:

Details and benefits:

Interview based book, no heavy writing required

Custom cover with your photo and celebrity authors on your inventory of books

Professional editing done by our staff editor

Book will be listed and ISBN # registered with Baker & Taylor, Bowker, Barnes & Noble and Amazon.com

Newsletter featuring each author will be emailed to 20,000 meeting planners listing their bio , photo and contact information

Custom press release provided to each author for promotion

21 Ways to Market your Book plan

You own the copyright to your chapter and can use it for whatever purpose you wish in the future

E book Rights – Each author will receive the E book upon on completion

To move forward give me a call in the office or email to discuss, prime chapter placement available. Hope you have a great day!

*If you are interested in building your brand/marketing and this title does not fit you. I am also looking for authors in our book project Bootstrap Business with Tom Hopkins, Jack Canfield and John Christensen.

Thanks!

Doors open faster when you walk in with someone famous!

Sincerely,

Dona Merritt

Marketing Representative

Insight Publishing

A Division of The Innovator’s Group, Inc.

Sevierville, TN. 37862

Let me be clear … I am an advocate of self-publishing!  The publishing world is being turned upside down and twisted all around with the advent of easy self-publishing, printing on demand and, of course, the elephant in the room – the ebook.  So my question does not center around authors being self published – not at all – rather, the question relates to the method of piggybacking on the names of individuals who you have no contact with – don’t know you or your content – and yet seem to find that the collection approach is a way to use their good name to promote yours.

First there are two firms that represent themselves as Speaker Services companies, both of whom have questionable reputations and have had complaints lodged against them.  Now, another speaker services company emerges in the same little town.  Sorry, but something smells fishy here.

Is what is being offered here ethical?

IF you are a client of Insight Publishing and wish to offer your comments good or bad – we welcome your thoughts.  I cannot express a direct opinion from experience, but would sure like to hear from others.

As always – YOUR COMMENTS ARE WELCOME!

Ethics in Dialing for Dollars – Wall Street all over again!

In the 1987 movie Wall Street, after Bud Fox comes back from his first meeting with Gordon Gekko his manager at the brokerage firm says:

Where you been the last 3 hours,
	Fox? I wouldn't be sitting around
	chin wagging if I were you...
	plenty of names in that phone book
	to cold call...

I suppose once you have a little age on you, you have an opportunity to see things from a different perspective.  As a “former” CPA I lived through the trying economic times of the Carter Administration and know what it was like to have mortgage rates at 16% and higher.  It was during those times that it became strange – as a matter of fact – that cold calling for investments that frankly made no sense seemed to be at their peak.  I recall the awareness that unsolicited investment calls were a second cousin to an outright scam as the caller clearly didn’t do his/her due diligence related to the investment they were hocking.

Personally I have no problem with folks who make a living soliciting customers; however, when the solicitation is blatantly focused on money from your pocket into theirs without due consideration to the investor and whether they are qualified to invest in what is being offered – strikes me as unethical and fraudulent.

So – where does this all come from?

For many who read this blog – you know I have been following closely the case in Houston, TX of Daniel Frishberg, Al Kaleta and David Wallace.  It would be hard for a reasonable person – presented with the facts – to believe that these three stooges did anything but hock an investment concept to folks who were unqualified and ended up being scammed.  But, today, unrelated to BizRadio and Daniel Frishberg, I got a call that reminded me of the old “Wall Street” movie days.  The call went something like this.

Hi.  Is this Chuck Gallagher?

Yes…how can I help you?

Chuck … I’m calling to talk with you about our oil and gas investment limited partnerships.  We’ve only have a few units left and, considering the tremendous, return and tax benefits, I wanted to enroll you before this opportunity closed.

Thanks for the call but I’m not interested.

Chuck … considering your enrollment in the last quarter of this year will provide you a direct tax write off of $45,000 and we’ll guarantee a return of $250,000 on the investment – you can’t lose.

Interrupting…I stated:  I’m not interested and hung up.

Here are some facts:

1. I did not know the person soliciting my business
2. He (the caller) had not done any due diligence on me – thereby knowing my investment strategy or needs
3. The caller was offering something that, by its nature, I would have no interest in
4. The caller was clearly “dialing for dollars” hoping that one of those “plenty of names in that phone book to cold call” would be interested in his offer

What happened today with the call I received has happened in many ways – some a bit different in approach – to others and most of the time, the investor looses!

Outside of the legal implications, do you think that unsolicited cold calling with the express purpose of seeking investors is ethical?

I’d like to know your thoughts and as always – YOUR COMMENTS ARE WELCOME!

Free Speech at Funerals or Unethcial behavior? In Ethics where do you draw the line?

Is it possible that what is ethical behavior for one person or group is unethical to another?  Now the question doesn’t relate to dramatically different cultures – the question relates to Americans vs Americans.  Beyond the issue of ethics – the question of law is being raised today related to that very issue.

According to a CNN news report:

The U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral arguments Wednesday in a legal battle that pits the privacy rights of grieving families and the free speech rights of demonstrators.

In 2006, members of the Westboro Baptist Church protested 300 feet from a funeral for Lance Cpl. Matthew Snyder in Westminster, Maryland, carrying signs reading “God hates you” and “Thank God for dead soldiers.”

Among the teachings of the Topeka, Kansas-based fundamentalist church founded by pastor Fred Phelps is the belief that the deaths of U.S. soldiers is God’s punishment for “the sin of homosexuality.”

Albert Snyder, Matthew’s father, said his son was not gay and the protesters should not have been at the funeral.

The case centers on Free Speech and whether the members of the church have the right to express their opinions at the funeral(s) of US Servicemen.  My question focuses not so much on the legality of the issue, but more on the ethics of their choices.

ETHICS defined is that branch of philosophy dealing with values relating to human conduct, with respect to the rightness and wrongness of certain actions and to the goodness and badness of the motives and ends of such actions.

So here’s the question:

Is the free expression of a religious belief that interferes with comfort associated with a dignified funeral an “ethical” action?  If not, how does one reconcile ethics on one hand with free speech on the other?

Chime in and register your opinion!

YOUR COMMENTS ARE WELCOME