CHARACTER - A Strong Mind.

'Character' - A great Latin word that sums up the great needs of the human condition.

'Character' in Latin implies 'a Steel Mind'. Literally, a character is a steel tool with a symbol on the business end (eg. the character "A"). This steel tool was place on a stone face and hit with a hammer. Thus adding the character 'A' to the text on the stone.
When applied to a person, character means "You can be slammed into a stone (or severe trial) and you are not distorted or changed in any way! - In fact, the stone is permanently changed, it is marked forever by your 'character'. This is the origin of the expression "Your Steel" or "Metal".

'Character' is the ability to resist distortion and corruption. To do what is right in spite of personal suffering or loss.

Lisa Simpson (comic character) is a great example of 'Character'. Her father Homer is the opposite.
Homer is badly affected by every distorting influence - Lisa resists, is untainted by all such influences.
Homer cannot be relied upon for a minute - Lisa can be relied upon for a life time.
As one USA voter lamented.. We would love to see Lisa Simpsons name on the ballot slip - but all we see is ten versions of Homer!

It would be great if we now had leaders & Presidents with the 'character' to resisted the corrupting influence of Big Pharma; Big Nuclear; Big Banks; Big Oil; Big Lobby.. Sadly, we did have four such Presidents; Abraham Lincon, J.A. Garfield, W. McKinley, J.F. Kennedy. These four not only resisted the corrupting influence of 'Big Banks', they also threatened to shut these guys down! By some strange coincidence, all four were assassinated. It seems having 'character' on Capitol Hill can be 'life threatening'.
Most of us are guilty of sustaining the evils of Capitol Hill.. We continually vote them back in.. There is always a 'Lisa Simpson' type person on the Ballot Paper', but they are ignored by the 95% of voters who will only vote for Homer A or Homer B. We reap what we sow!

On a personal note, you won't be able to "fix" Capitol Hill, but you can become a Lisa Simpson to your own family and close friends.

wip.