After four years of cram sessions before class, late nights at the library and tons of ink scratched on notebooks, you graduate with a diploma – and a choice.

A choice between using your hard work in the spirit of service or selfishness ensues. When people work hard to earn positions in life, disappointment sets in when they don’t live up to those positions.

Recently, Georgia State Rep. Walter Ronnie “Ron” Sailor was caught laundering drug money, and it was unfortunately no surprise that another state representative became a criminal with a diploma.

According to an article published by the Atlanta Business Chronicle on March 18, $357,000 was thrown away on drug deals for cocaine by Sailor. The 33-year-old former Democratic representative for the DeKalb and Rockdale counties in Georgia was held by the FBI in December 2007. He cooperated with the federal government in ongoing public corruption investigation.

“I am really becoming concerned with the amount of state officials that become captured into the life of criminals. When will all the stupidity stop?” said Brett Naples, senior time art major.

Court proceedings indicated on Nov. 10, 2007, Sailor met with an undercover law enforcement agent at a Metro Atlanta hotel. When Sailor met with the agent, known as “Jay,” the two discussed terms to launder money. Sailor agreed to the terms and negotiated a fee of 10 percent.

“I wonder what Sailor’s drug policy is. I hope he goes away for a very long time,” said freshman undecided major Nick Sanders.

Sailor was charged with one felony of knowingly attempting to conduct an illegal financial transaction involving $370,000. He later pleaded guilty on March 18, and his plea agreement requires him to cooperate completely and truthfully with the federal government.

Sentencing is set for May 22. Sailor could receive a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. He also settled to forfeit all property.

Admiring people who have jobs in high places almost seems like a joke at times. Again and again, state officials or those in power are arrested or embarrassing themselves. These are the people protecting us, running our country and handling our money, and the law does not seem to be enough motivation to curb misconduct.

If the country’s VIPs won’t follow the rules, students or the future officials should not to follow in the footsteps of our country’s star pupils. There is always a choice.