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Betrayal and loyalty are opposite ends of the trust spectrum. History records examples of loyalty turning into betrayal a conflict the betrayer considers beyond hope. There are also cases where loyalty saves a comrade or keeps a cause alive.
Betrayal leaves emotional pain and a sense of distrust in the betrayed. The victim reads betrayal into the actions of everyone.
Combinations of betrayal and loyalty lead to irrational decisions. As hope for loyalty is wains one sees betrayal as a possibility in even the longest-lived relationships.
Marcus Junius Brutus was a Roman senator and a close friend to Julius Caesar. His love of the Roman Empire and his dedication to preventing it from becoming a dictatorship lead to his joining a group plotting to kill Caesar. Historical documents record that several men attacked Caesar with such passion they injured some of their group, including Brutus.
Brutus committed suicide after an army led by Antony and Octavian routed Brutus’s troops in the Battle of Philippi and solidified the dictatorship.
Judas Iscariot was one of Christ’s inner circle. He was one of twelve men who spent more time with Jesus than anyone else during Christ’s three years of ministry and keeper of the group’s money bag.
His behavior as recorded in the Bible paints a picture of a man more concerned with the bottom line and overthrowing Rome than with Jesus' ministry. Ultimately, Judas betrays his leader for thirty pieces of silver
Betrayal and its effects are impossible to erase. An undercurrent of distrust lingers for years afterward, even after the betrayer is identified and neutralized. Cohesive relationships are things of the past.
Loyalty generates positive feelings of comradery and friendship. A loyal person stays with a companion or task regardless of the situation. It is common in tight-knit groups like soldiers, athletes, and law enforcement officers.
“Once a Marine, always a Marine,” is more than a catchphrase of that branch of our military. It is a mantra. Battlefield heroics abound. However, the majority of those involved don’t consider themselves heroes. They are loyal to their unit, regardless of the cost. Wartime accounts of individuals throwing themselves on grenades or providing covering gunfire while their unit escapes dominate the lore of victory stories. Loyalty is the celebrated character of the humble soldier who sees honor in the sacrifice.
Loyalty is persuasive. World-class runners ruin careers to run legs in relay races so the foursome can medal. Philip Rivers, a former San Diego Chargers quarterback, played a playoff game with a torn ACL because the team was depending on him.
Criminals or disasters injure law enforcement officers who race into harm’s way to protect the public. They live their lives following a selfless code of honor and loyalty. For others.
Loyalty within a family is often the most celebrated. Family members stand up for one another through the most difficult circumstances. How often have you heard one family member say, "Everybody loved her/him," about a sibling or parent after an untimely death?
Personal questions abound about betrayal and loyalty. What do you do if you are loyal to a person accused of the betrayal of others? Should loyalty be unquestioned? Can betrayal be forgiven? Should it?
Betrayal and loyalty are so emotional there are no clear-cut answers.
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Private Investigator, Phil Mamba, a former homicide detective for the Manzanita Police Department faces betrayal and loyalty in my newest book, Betrayal in Blue.
"...the complex and roller-coaster of a ride story of how those 'brave men and women in blue' ultimately solved the problem of departmental leaks that wreaked havoc on their station and their lives. "Betrayal In Blue" is the stuff from which block-buster movies are made..."
James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief,
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