Brendan Calling

Accountability

I’m typing these words on my lunchbreak: I’m trying to blog a little less at work this week because we’re all in a mad scramble to finish this massive and complicated grant application to the feds for funding to expand a transitional housing program that currently serves 9 single female headed families escaping domestic violence. The application process is Byzantine, and frankly I have doubts that we’ll even finish the thing, never mind get accepted for funding. But I’m working my ass off on it anyway, because if it’s not submitted, I’m accountable.

accountable
One entry found for accountable.
Main Entry: ac·count·able
Pronunciation: &-’kaun-t&-b&l
Function: adjective
1 : subject to giving an account : ANSWERABLE (held her accountable for the damage)
2 : capable of being accounted for : EXPLAINABLE
synonym see RESPONSIBLE

responsible
One entry found for responsible.
Main Entry: re·spon·si·ble
Pronunciation: ri-’spän(t)-s&-b&l
Function: adjective
Etymology: Anglo-French responsable, from respuns
1 a : liable to be called on to answer b (1) : liable to be called to account as the primary cause, motive, or agent (a committee responsible for the job) (2) : being the cause or explanation (mechanical defects were responsible for the accident) c : liable to legal review or in case of fault to penalties
2 a : able to answer for one’s conduct and obligations : TRUSTWORTHY b : able to choose for oneself between right and wrong
3 : marked by or involving responsibility or accountability (responsible financial policies) (a responsible job)
4 : politically answerable; especially : required to submit to the electorate if defeated by the legislature — used especially of the British cabinet

Ramifications for not completing and submitting this grant include: a citation for poor performance at work; being passed over for a raise or bonus; or even losing my job.

In a couple of weeks, my son Sam comes to visit. I sure hope his mom sends down that copy of his birth certificate she’s been promising the past few months. We’ve already paid for his health insurance coverage, so if he has to go the hospital, we’re OK: still, I want that birth certificate, because I’m accountable for Sam, and I may need it to prove paternity in case something goes wrong. I shudder to think what would happen if Sam was hurt under my watch, because I’m accountable for him. Ramifications for not being a responsible parent include: losing access to my son; having my access cut; having my access supervised; being forced to enter parenting classes.

I drive a minivan, which currently needs some repairs. I make sure I always pay my insurance on time, because GEICO will hold me responsible for any accidents that occur if I’m not covered. incidentally, I’m still shopping for a right front upper control arm for the van, so I can pass my safety inspection: I’m held accountable with a moving violation if I get caught driving.

For so many Americans, accountability is part of life: we’re held responsible for our decisions, whether they’re good decisions like saving enough to send your kid to Harvard or bad decisions like selling cocaine within 100 feet of a school.

Yet for many Americans, at least 535, accountability isn’t so important. In fact, for these Americans, “accountability” might as well be an alien concept.

For example, why are the many Republicans who covered for Mark Foley still in Congress? Why have they not resigned in disgrace?
Why did the Walter Reed scandal go on for at least two years, and why is it every Republican I’ve called on the Veterans’ Affairs Committee, including former chairman Larry Craig, unable to explain how this mistreatment escaped their notice?
Why are people still homeless a year after Katrina? Why are they still finding bodies?
Why did we go to war based on fabricated evidence of “WMD”?
Why did Foley get away with accosting teenage boys for six years?

Accountability: some of us live with it, and some of us don’t. or as Orwell so succinctly put it, “All animals are equal, but some are more equal than others.”

2 Responses to “Accountability”

1. phillybits Says:
   February 20th, 2007 at 7:26 pm

   Double check your tags on this post. Something isn’t right and the page is blinking when I run the mouse over the post starting at the
   1b-2 heading definition of ‘responsible’

2. Brendan Says:
   February 20th, 2007 at 7:58 pm

   yeah, i fixed it. it was because the “used in a sentence” examples were inside “< " and ">“, which got read as html tags.