Charles Colson

In the following viewpoint, which was written in the wake of several major corporate scandals during 2001 and 2002, Charles Colson maintains that it is impossible for government to legislate morality. He contends that although laws and government regulations are necessary, they ultimately cannot force people to be ethical, nor can they solve society’s enduring problems. The nation will avert scandals and moral decline only when Americans embrace a common set of values that fosters the desire to do what is right, the author concludes. Colson is chairman of Prison Fellowship Ministries, a volunteer Christian group that provides outreach to prisoners, ex-prisoners, crime victims, and their families.

As you read, consider the following questions:

1. What major political scandal was the author of this viewpoint involved in?
2. What ineffective governmental reforms were passed as a result of the...