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Did I Kill Jimmy Hoffa?
Jimmy
Hoffa, the former Teamster president, was last seen in a
Michigan restaurant parking lot. The year was 1975. That
restaurant was the Machus Red Fox. I worked there almost
two years in high school and college. It was a mile from
my house. So, did I kill Jimmy Hoffa?
The answer is no, I did not kill him, nor
was I ever a suspect. I was working at the Red Fox in the
summer of 1980 when camera crews shot footage in the dining
room for the 11 o'clock news.
This past summer I was in traffic court
on an expired registration. I felt nervous going before
a judge because I had never gone before a judge before.
I had been a witness to a pipe bombing back in 1985, but
that's a different story for a different time.
The only reason I was nervous was because
of the setting, not because of my guilt. My guilt was pretty
clear, and I was willing to pay the consequences. I ended
up getting off with just a $50 fine.
Later, I thought about my experience of
going before the judge. The consequences of my actions were
pretty low. I wouldn't have been heading to jail for my
offense. Nor would I have a pay a terribly high fine.
As I relate it to my day-to-day business,
I think about the consequences of my actions. Daily I'm
faced with choices of acting unethically. I could pad the
hours I'm charging a client. I can claim something on my
taxes that isn't really deductible. And I can lie about
my abilities to a potential client.
The real fear comes in whether or not I
will get caught. If I get caught there are consequences.
Fines. Lost business. Lost reputation. These all translate
to loss for me.
So I try to live ethically in my business
life. I live a life beyond reproach. Being beyond reproach
means that charges can't even be brought against a person,
let alone being convicted of charges. It's living a life
of purity and honesty.
Living a life of fear comes from living
a life of compromise and risky behavior. We reap what we
sow. If we sow questionable ethics and deceit, we will reap
soiled reputations and distrust. If we sow honesty and trustworthiness,
we reap a pure heart and a clear conscience.
The case of Jimmy Hoffa is still unsolved
27 years later, but I can go to bed with a clear conscience
because I did not kill Jimmy Hoffa, and I try to live beyond
reproach. Do you?
*****
Dave Carlson is the owner of Green Chair Marketing Group, a boutique marketing
firm specializing in developing comprehensive marketing plans focusing on Internet
strategies to help businesses succeed. He can be reached at 720-922-3124. See
his Web site at www.GreenChair.net.
© 2001, Dave Carlson, All Rights Reserved
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