One easy quality to follow in the journalistic profession is honesty. The media is obligated to serve as a vehicle that brings honest information to its readers, listeners and viewers.

Being honest is something that is taught to us at a young age.

This past Sunday, The New York Times revealed that, as simple as it sounds, honesty does not follow all of us into adulthood.

Jayson Blair, a former Times reporter, quit his job earlier this month after being questioned about an article he wrote about a missing Army mechanic in Iraq. Blair was asked about his story because its contents were similar to that in a San Antonio Express-News story.

The newspaper revealed a full report on many more inaccuracies discovered in Blair's reporting.

Writing for The New York Times is a prestigious honor and it makes no sense for anyone to throw away their career over lies.

So how is it that Blair managed to deceive the paper? His lies date back to when Blair, now 27, was just applying to the Times as an intern. A May 11 article by the Times stated that when Blair was seeking his internship he wrote about how he witnessed people abuse the power entrusted with the journalism profession and added how his spirits led him to journalism because he wanted to help people.

Little did the Times know the heartfelt confession was just the start of a career filled with lies.

Blair has jeopardized his career, and only a tabloid newspaper would hire him now. There is no second chance when dealing with something as disturbing as this. People that commit acts like these should be fired because sheer stupidity is the cause for these actions.

There is no remorse for Blair. If he could not handle the stress that can come along with the job, he should have quit a long time ago.

It is amazing how much time and effort Blair put into lying when half of that effort could have been used to report truthfully. It is senseless to waste so much of your time fabricating when that is something you have to constantly keep up with. The truth will speak for itself, whereas, a lie will tell on you.

These actions are prime examples of how dishonest our society is becoming. People are lying and plagiarizing everywhere. It's refreshing to see these actions being punished.

The shame and humiliation Blair is getting ready to feel is no one's fault but his own. One of the easiest things to do in this world is to be true to others, which, in turn, will make you true to yourself.