This is a life principle I learned the hard way. It has cost me dearly, but I am more than willing to pay the price.

In these dark times for politics around the world, mediocrity, abuse, abusers, and low-caliber individuals have taken center stage, leaving a trail of destruction in their wake.

It seems that the days of statesmanship practiced by people like Margaret Thatcher, Ronald Reagan, and others whom I deeply admire are long gone.

Society is breaking down and rotting at an alarming rate. Values, respect, rules, and integrity are disappearing. I refuse to jump on that bandwagon.

This has cost me dearly. Perhaps too dearly. But it is a price I am more than willing to pay. I will never compromise my values or my integrity for anything in the world.

This is the main reason why weeks go by without me having guests on my show. I respect my audience, my readers, and everything I do is an extension of who I am. Under no circumstances can I present someone to my audience who is only known for having social media followers and being trending news because of scandals, or simply because their appearance would boost my ratings.

I do not value myself so little.

What are my guest’s academic credentials? How has this person conducted themselves in society and in politics? Do they deserve the honor of being invited onto the show? These are just some of the questions I ask myself, and sometimes, silence is a painful answer I must accept with sadness.

We have allowed politics to become an absolute circus, where no one is even asked the most basic screening questions anymore. It is a disaster that grows worse by the day.

There is no longer any decorum, no diplomacy, no etiquette or protocol, no elevated discourse. Everything has become a cheap spectacle for social media. They no longer care about anything or anyone.

This has become an endless horror show, one I am not willing to be part of.

Maintaining integrity and holding on to one’s values in dark times like these comes at a very high price, one that not everyone is willing to pay. Only those who understand the immense damage they can cause, and the consequences of giving a platform and a voice to this distasteful circus, have the strength and wisdom to do what is right, even when it is not the most popular choice.

About the author:

Jennifer Barreto-Leyva is a multi-faceted professional and a powerhouse in the Hispanic community.
She is an attorney, journalist, and author. Pro-life activist. Former Fox News correspondent. Is part of the editorial national board of the Republican National Hispanic Assembly. TV and radio host. Former Venezuelan ambassador at the Britts Global organization in the United Nations. Politics analyst. Opinion columnist, President of The Ladies Coalition. Director for LATAM of Latinas 4 life.
Named for Parade Magazine, 8 years in a row, as one of the 50 most influential and powerful Latinas worldwide.