The steering committee of Urbandale CHARACTER COUNTS!, a project team of the Urbandale Action Council, has called upon candidates for election to the Urbandale City Council to make a public pledge of their commitment to the practice of good character in the current political campaign and in their term of public service, should they be elected.
This community CHARACTER COUNTS! candidates’ pledge effort is thought to be the first of its kind in the nation, according to officials with the Iowa Institute for Character Development at Drake University.
The event is part of what will be an ongoing pledge effort involving all political candidates in Urbandale. The candidates have been asked to agree to be held accountable for their adherence to and support of the Six Pillars of Character – trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring and citizenship – as encouraged by the CHARACTER COUNTS! Initiative of the Institute for Character Development.
Below is the pledge the candidates signed.
URBANDALE CHARACTER COUNTS!
A project team of the Urbandale Action Council
I,_______________, a 2007 candidate for election to Urbandale City Council, publicly announce my support for the principles of the CHARACTER COUNTS! I understand the Six Pillars of Character as encouraged by CHARACTER COUNTS! are defined as follows:
- Trustworthiness. Be honest. Don’t deceive, cheat or steal. Be reliable, doing what you say you’ll do. Have the courage to do the right thing. Build a good reputation. Be loyal, standing by your family, friends and country.
- Respect. Treat others with respect; follow the Golden Rule. Be tolerant of difference. Use good manners, not bad language. Be considerate of the feelings of others. Don’t threaten or hurt anyone. Deal peacefully with anger, insults and disagreements.
- Responsibility. Do what you are supposed to do. Persevere, and keep on trying. Always try your best. Use self-control; be self-disciplined. Think before you act, and consider the consequences. Be accountable for your choices.
- Fairness. Play by the rules. Be open-minded, and listen to others. Don’t take advantage of people, and don’t blame others carelessly.
- Caring. Be kind and compassionate. Show you care. Express gratitude. Forgive others. Help people in need.
- Citizenship. Work to make your community better. Cooperate. Stay informed. Vote. Be a good neighbor. Obey laws and rules. Respect authority. Protect the environment.
Further, I hereby pledge my commitment to the practice of these principles of good character in the current political campaign and in my term of public service, should I be elected to the Urbandale City Council.
Signed: ______________________________ Date: _____________________
Candidate address:
Urbandale, Iowa
