Did you hear about Johnny O. Muddle, the young man who was kicked out of the service academy? He was 19 when he was caught cheating, but his problems really began much earlier. When he was 6 years old, he was with his father when they were caught speeding. His father handed the officer a $10 bill with his driver’s license. “It’s OK, son”, the father said, as they drove off. “Everybody does it.” When he was 8, he was permitted to attend a family council, presided over by Uncle George, on the surest way to shave points off of their income tax return. “It’s OK, kid,” his uncle said, “everybody does it.”

When he was 9, his mother took him to his first theatre production. The box office man couldn’t find any seats until his mother discovered an extra $20 in her purse. “It’s OK, son,” his mother said. “Everybody does it.” When he was 12, he broke his glasses on the way to school. His aunt Francine persuaded the insurance company they had been stolen and they collected $75. “It’s OK, kid,” she said. “Everybody does it.” When he was 15, he made right guard on the high school football team. The coach showed him how to block and at the same time grab the opposing end by the shirt so the official couldn’t see it. “It’s OK, kid,” the coach said. “Everybody does it.”

When he was 16, he took a summer job at the big market. His assignment was to put the over-ripe tomatoes in the bottom of the boxes and the good ones on the top where they would show. “It’s OK, kid,” the manager said. “Everybody does it.” When he was 17, his older brother Lance, who was just under 7 feet tall, studied offers from 21 universities who needed a tall center. He selected the one that offered the biggest down payment on a new car and gave a scholarship to his girlfriend Gertrude. “It’s OK, kid,” the recruiter said. “Everybody does it.”

When he was 18, he and a neighbor applied for the opening at a service academy. Johnny was a marginal student. His neighbor was in the upper 3 percent of his class, but he couldn’t play right guard. Johnny got the assignment. “It’s OK, kid,” they told him. “Everybody does it.” When he was 19, he was approached by an upperclassman who offered him the test answers for $10. “It’s OK, kid,” he said. “Everybody does it.” Johnny was caught and sent home in disgrace.

“How could you do this to your mother and me?” his father said. “You never learned anything like this at home.” His brother, aunt and uncle were shocked. “The youth of today are failing,” said the psychiatrist. “They refuse to determine between right and wrong.” “More than 50 percent of our students are cheats,” said the educator. “It’s shameful the way young people carry on today. The youth of today are setting a pattern that is alarming,” said the sociologist. And the commandant of the academy said, “If there is one thing the world can’t stand, it’s a kid who cheats.”

This was sent to me by Mrs. Phyliss Fry, who is the former director of a tri-county federally funded Head Start program. My friend, you have just read why our nation is in trouble. Our young people are the hope of America, and we must do better. One thing for sure, Johnny is smarter now.

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(Jim Davidson is an author, public speaker, syndicated columnist, and Founder of the Bookcase for Every Child project. Since its inception in the Log Cabin Democrat in 1995, Jim’s column has been self-syndicated in over 375 newspapers in 35 states. For a personalized copy of “Your Future Begins Today” send $20, which includes postage and handling, to Jim Davidson, 2 Bentley Drive, Conway, AR 72034.)