Ever since 1993, the U.S. Senate and the president have proclaimed the third week in October National CHARACTER COUNTS! Week. Despite toxic levels of partisanship on every imaginable issue, it is notable that this resolution has continued with bipartisan support in both Democratic and Republican Administrations.

CHARACTER COUNTS! has grown into a school- and sports-based initiative that involves more than 7 million young people and their families. This week, more than 15,000 organizations are expressing commitment to repairing the hole in our moral ozone in their own unique ways. Some will have assemblies or parades featuring kids who have shown exemplary character. Others will award prizes for essays or engage in community-service projects.

But is all this activity that is designed to teach youngsters about the nature and importance of virtue and good character an encouraging sign that our society is tired of the ethical flabbiness of our country, or is it a cruel irony proving nothing more than our willingness to tell our children to do as we say, not as we do?

How can we say character counts as we struggle with a financial catastrophe caused by staggering greed and irresponsibility and as we observe a continually degrading presidential campaign where both sides have broken promises and made vows they can’t keep, distorted the positions of their opponents, and engaged in shameless name-calling and pandering for votes?

My view is that every time we see the disastrous results of unprincipled, selfish, and short-sighted decision-making, we prove that character counts and that we need to restore our confidence in the proposition.

Those who teach and celebrate the importance of character are part of the solution; those who give up hope are part of the problem.

To learn more on ways you can be part of the solution, visit www.charactercounts.org.