Moral Fiber

From the urban dictionary: "Moral fiber is the capacity to do what is right, no matter what the circumstance. A business person with strong moral fiber, for example, would decline a bribe, and put his self interests aside for the benefit of the company and its shareholders. A parent with strong moral fiber does whatever it takes to help their kids succeed, even if it means they have to make sacrifices. A person with moral fiber does not do things to intentionally harm others, and when given the opportunity, does things to help the less fortunate.

When Abraham Lincoln pushed to free slaves despite hostility from his own political party, he showed great moral fiber.
Bernie Madoff was severely lacking moral fiber when he took billions from investors.
A parent that would rather drink and get high than pay rent or electric bills has no moral fiber.
Core Meaning

The term "moral fiber" is most clearly and non-controversially applicable to instances in which people show virtue that can be appreciated universally, regardless of political or religious orientation. In the news, moral fiber is used to describe those who act as whistleblowers on corruption, or people who intervene for the good of strangers. Moral fiber connotes strength, and as such is the term describing the actions of the men who attacked the 9/11 hijackers on Flight 93. This meaning is the core of the term "moral fiber" and cannot easily be misused.

Unfortunately, I do not think that either side of the situation in Wisconsin has any understanding of moral fiber. Nor do they wish to demonstrate it.