The Case of the Too-faint Fingerprints

A couple of months ago, I went to the local state police post for a visit. Nothing unusual, just getting fingerprinted for a criminal background check. Said background check is required for me to teach water aerobics as a backup at a local school pool. I was quasi-interested in the fingerprinting process and was happy to learn they still do fingerprints the old fashioned way--with an ink roll and paper. In fact, the whole process made me feel like a human being. No computers or technology to mess it up. Standing in that room, getting my fingers pressed down on the ink pad, it felt like it could have been 1950 or something. It could have been my grandmother there, plunking down her slender fingers on the inky blackness.

The technician said my prints were "fine and detailed," and I almost said "thank you" in return. Anyhoo, that done and my $10 check in the mail with the fingerprint card, I figured it was a done deal. I was relying on the system to do its work.

I joked with my mom about us being on pins and needles and biting our fingernails regarding my background check. I laughed about whether I would pass. Then I quickly forgot-about-it. Until I got a checked off form in the mail and my fingerprint card back saying the fingerprints were too faint, and I would have to get them retaken. Ooook. I thought. It will be another month or two before this gets squared away, I can feel it.

But yesterday, I finally stopped in at the police post and explained that the prints weren't sufficient. And an officer (who may have been wounded in the line of duty, walking with a cane) led me back to the fingerprinting room. "Idiots," he said. "They could have run these through their computer and darkened them."

And he grabbed another paper, and quickly started the process of ink to skin, fingers to paper, quick as a wink. But when I asked him if he would then mail said fingerprints back, he said no, that was my responsibility. I said, oh, I just figured since I didn't make the mistake, I wouldn't have to do that. And he said, no, you do. And unfortunately, not once did he say, "I'm sorry for our mistake," which would have gone a long way. Not a big deal, in the end. But it got me thinking...

We are in a world of hurt today. But despite that hurt, despite some grave ignorance, misjudgments, and shirking of responsibility, we don't have anyone owning up to the failures of our government. No one that I can see is standing up and saying, "I'm the problem. As a congressperson, I bowed to pressure from my constituents and didn't lead the way to better regulation and fiscal responsibility. In fact, I voted for deregulation." "I'm the problem. As an adviser to the President, I miscalculated how bad the economy was, not doing my research, and didn't advise him well." "I'm the problem. In my quest to help others make the almighty dollar, I ignored suspect mortgage and trading practices and turned a blind eye."

And just once, I would like to hear someone really powerful in our government stick it to us as well:
"You, also, are the problem. For too long, you have lived as if possessions define you, gathering more when you don't have money to pay for them, to help you feel more fulfilled and alive. You also took on a mortgage that you knew would put you in a difficult situation financially, because you wanted a bigger house. Your credit cards helped you redecorate your house, but you don't have peace living in it, because you owe. But these aren't the only ways you are cheating yourself. You cheat yourself when you don't offer your employer your attention and energy while you work, and you cheat your employer, too. In short, government needs to correct its errors, but you do as well. You need to cultivate the integrity and frugality to live without baggage, to live and give to others simply and honestly."

And the first step for all of us, is admitting our part in the problem, acknowledging, then correcting our course. I sincerely hope our government will do the same.