Instead of giving a politician the keys to the city, it might be

Doug Larson, with wit sharpened like a blade, once remarked: “Instead of giving a politician the keys to the city, it might be better to change the locks.” Cloaked in humor, his words strike at a truth as old as governance itself: that to grant politicians honor and trust without caution is to invite betrayal. For too often, those raised high by public adoration forget service and seek instead their own gain. The “keys” symbolize not only access to the city but to the hearts, wealth, and hopes of the people. Larson warns: guard them well, for trust misplaced can become captivity.

The origin of this saying lies in Larson’s career as a columnist, where he wielded humor to expose the flaws of human nature. He saw how citizens celebrated their leaders, offering them ceremonial keys, as if they were guardians of virtue. Yet history abounds with examples of such leaders abusing power. Larson turned the custom on its head: perhaps honor should not be bestowed too easily—better, he suggests, to change the locks, to guard against the weaknesses of ambition and greed.

History confirms his jest’s dark wisdom. In the days of Renaissance Italy, cities often showered their rulers with loyalty, only to find themselves betrayed. The people of Florence once welcomed the Medici back with open arms, yet soon found their liberties bound by the very family they had exalted. Had they “changed the locks” instead of granting trust, their freedom might have endured longer. Larson’s quip echoes this ancient pattern: misplaced trust leads to bondage.

So too in modern times, corruption scandals remind us of the same lesson. Mayors, governors, presidents—all have been given the figurative “keys” of public trust, only to misuse them for profit or vanity. The fall of Richard Nixon, exalted as a statesman yet undone by Watergate, is but one example: the people honored him, and in return, he broke into the very house he was sworn to protect. Truly, Larson’s humor masks a cry for vigilance.

Therefore, O seekers of wisdom, remember: trust in leaders must be bound to accountability. To honor them without question is folly; to watch them with careful eyes is wisdom. The locks of power must always be tested, for temptation corrodes the noblest of men. Larson’s words, though light in tone, thunder with warning: better a city that guards itself well than one that surrenders blindly. For the keys to freedom must never be left unattended.