Former San Bernardino County Deputy District Attorney Dee Edgeworth pens book
Former San Bernardino County Deputy District Attorney Dee Edgeworth penned a book, which he says explores possible remedies for the problems facing America.
The Apple Valley man’s latest book, “The High Ground: Why Civic Virtue Matters to America,” takes a look at the “true civic virtues” of the American founders, and why they are relevant and poignant for the nation’s survival in the 21st century, he said.
The author spoke to the Daily Press as he prepared for a booking signing from 1 to 3 p.m. on Saturday at Barnes & Noble at the Mall of Victor Valley in Victorville.
“America is at a crossroads," he said. "Current public opinion surveys report that Americans believe that the country is on the wrong track, and they are broadly pessimistic about the future.”
He added that diminishing social trust, lack of civility, and promotion of individualism over community have resulted in a country that is "discontented, fractious, alienated, and divided."
Blueprint to fix America
Published by Fulton Books, the book shares several accounts from the lives of America’s founders, which demonstrates virtues like honesty and integrity.
“We strayed far from what the average American once stood for, what our founders stood for,” said Edgeworth, 71, who served 26 years with the DA’s office and seven with the U.S. Department of Justice.
The life stories can be used as examples or as a blueprint for modern-day Americans to address the ongoing issues the nation currently faces, Edgeworth added.
“Our American founders believed that the government cannot secure the rights of individuals without a necessary moral foundation, and they were praised as examples of virtue,” he said.
“Focusing on the lives of these early leaders will reemphasize the importance of these virtues, and the power of their examples will teach us lessons that we can apply to the challenges we are facing today as we strive to attain the high ground,” he added.
Legal advisor in North Africa
A frequent instructor for federal and state law enforcement agencies, Edgeworth has received several awards for his creative teaching techniques.
Edgeworth concluded his career with a three-year assignment as the regional legal advisor to North Africa, where he was assigned to the U.S. Embassy in Rabat, Morocco.
In Africa, Edgeworth developed and conducted training programs in counter-terrorism.
“Years ago, I was asked by the American Bar Association to write a book because I knew federal and state law,” Edgeworth said. “I rewrote the book three times, each time adding new cases and statutes.”
A graduate of Brigham Young University and Western State University College of Law, Edgeworth co-authored the California District Attorney’s Association Asset Seizure & Forfeiture Manual. He has also written numerous articles on asset forfeiture that have been published by national and state prosecution associations.
Edgeworth said he wrote his latest book for general circulation and as a gift for his children, grandchildren and future generations.
“I went to the Library of Congress for research and I was overwhelmed at what I found on our American founders,” Edgeworth said. “These are stories I want my family and others to read about, to learn about and to live out."
Edgeworth moved to the High Desert in 1983, back when nearly everyone in the DA’s office worked down the hill and closer to San Bernardino, he said.
“I started working at the courthouse in Barstow, then Victorville,” Edgeworth said. “I eventually worked at all the courthouses in the county, even the one out in Needles.”
Edgeworth and his wife, Nadine, have five children and nine grandchildren. In his spare time, he enjoys reading biographies, writing, engaging in volunteer church service and running.
“The High Ground: Why Civic Virtue Matters to America” can be purchased at bookstores, or online at the Apple iTunes store, Amazon, Google Play, or Barnes and Noble.
Daily Press reporter Rene Ray De La Cruz may be reached at 760-951-6227 or RDeLaCruz@VVDailyPress.com. Follow him on Twitter @DP_ReneDeLaCruz
This article originally appeared on Victorville Daily Press: Former county Deputy District Attorney Dee Edgeworth pens book
