In this situation lies were told, not only by Bob and the other Americans, but also by State Department officials, by President Jimmy Carter, and by Canadian officials. Most people in the United States agree that elected officials can lie to protect hostages. Their purpose is to protect our community or our family. Such lies are especially acceptable when they are done to help others, instead of ourselves. Lying to a guard about a loaf of bread under our coat, is acceptable, if we have no other means for getting food for our family.
Truth telling becomes subordinate to the greater duty of caring for our family.
American attitudes about strict honesty can be puzzling to people with personal or family memories of countries under alien occupation or communist rule, where lying to dodge the oppressor was one of the first things parents taught their children. Roman Catholic moral theologians call lying to protect oneself or others the principle of overriding right. The principle of overriding right recognizes that sometimes a more important principle than truthtelling is at stake, such as the need to protect human life. As I said, I am not a moral absolutist when it comes to lies. With the Roman Catholic moral theologians, I believe in the principle of overriding right.