Leaders and Politics

Leaders and Politics

While recently reading the book Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card I began to think a lot about leadership.  The adults knew that in order to defeat the buggars, they had to have a kid, someone who was innocent, and someone who they could manipulate into killing millions of buggars. 

What makes a good leader?  Leaders are often role models for kids.  A role model is someone whom a person can look up to for guidance.  Leaders must make the tough decision, often at a loss of popularity.  They must be willing to sacrifice for the good of others.  They must be totally dedicated.  Someone who is a leader must sometimes compromise.  A true leader must be ethical, dedicated, and willing to do what is right, no matter the consequences.

In today’s world, these types of leaders are hard to find.  There are a lot of athletes who many look to as role models for success.  So who are these athletes?  Kobe Bryant?  Sure, he has been successful on the basketball court.  He’s won five NBA Championships.  But in 2003 a 19  year old woman accused him of rape.  But because he is a “superstar” the woman refused to testify in court, which lead to a settlement.  (click here for the story:  http://www.usatoday.com/sports/basketball/nba/2005-03-02-bryant-settles_x.htm)

A good leader must have high morals and ethics.  If he does not conduct himself in a clean, moral way, he is not a good leader.  He is showing kids, who always are looking for role models, that it is good, desirable, or even respectable to act in such ways.  One example of a leader who has very low morals is Newt Gingrich.  He is running for the Republican Nomination for President of the United States in 2012.  He has had three wives, two of which he divorced.  His wife recently came out with some startling evidence of his low morals:  while Newt and his ex-wife were still married Newt asked if she would be OK with an open marriage so that he could continue his romance with his mistress. (Click here for the story: http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/marianne-gingrich-newts-ex-wife-says-he-wanted-open-marriage/2012/01/19/gIQAJzgwAQ_story.html)  And we as American citizens are supposed to vote for such a man! 

So who can we turn to for our guidance?  Is there anyone who lives today that embodies all of the qualities a true, great leader must have?  I believe we must often times look into the past to uncover some of the greatest heroes.  Not all of the great leaders of history were even known by their contemporaries, such as Alexander the Great. 

I believe that if we are looking for a perfect role model the only place we will find that person is in Christianity:  Jesus Christ.  He is truly the greatest leader, and teacher of all time.  Some may not agree with this statement.

I believe that every human being has faults.  In Christianity we except Christ as divine.  We believe Him to be the only perfect being to ever walk this earth.  For decades the Founding Fathers of our wonderful country were looked to as examples of leaders.  The books written of them and their times were written romantically at times.  They often glossed over the fact that the world they lived in was far from perfect.  That they had slaves, which most people who live now consider anyone who did today as being far from being a moral person. 

That view of the Founders prevailed until scholars and authors began to magnify their many weaknesses being in the 1950’s.  Generations of American school children looked to them as role models.  Today in our schools we have teachers and textbooks mock the founding fathers.  They describe people of amazing ability, such as George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, as nasty hypocrites for holding slaves.  The people of the founding generation fought a bloody war over the idea of freedom, when they themselves kept millions in bondage.

I think any kind of slavery is wrong.  But I do believe that slavery was part of the world they founders lived in.  They did the best they could.  If you have ever carefully read the constitution you will see that the same founders that supposedly loved slavery made a provision, written directly into the founding document of this nation that allowed the federal government to end the slave trade.  They knew it was wrong, but didn’t think it was possible to change everything so radically at the same time.

Change often takes generations to take place.  There are times when radical changes need to happen.  This leads us to another quality true leaders must have:  the ability and knowledge of when and where to compromise with others to accomplish something.  There are times when you have to take a stand for what you believe to be right.

The Founders knew this.  They knew that “taxation without representation” was wrong.  They did something about it.  Several times the British reached out to reconcile the American colonies without relinquishing this right to tax without representation.  People such as John Adams and his cousin, Samuel Adams, knew that this was something they could not compromise.  They led the events that led to our freedom.

An example of the Founders compromising is found throughout the Constitutional Convention in 1787.  James Madison had Edmund Randolph present a plan known as the Virginia Plan, which favored the states with a large population and land mass.  Small states, such as Delaware, did not like it.  They wanted equal representation in any federal government.  The debate on this topic often grew heated.  The small states threatened to withdraw without a new government agreed upon.  Madison, Franklin and Washington knew that this could not happen.  Finally a man named Roger Sherman presented what is known to history as the Connecticut Compromise.  This called for two separate houses in the Congress: the House of Representatives, which would be based on population, and the Senate, which each state would have two seats in, regardless of the population.

How important was it to have membership in the new Congress based on population?  Not very important evidently.  The founders knew that they had to come up with a compromise.  You will not win every battle you fight.  There are times when you must stand up for your beliefs. 

I believe that every man, woman and child can become a great leader.  How many mothers and fathers have been excellent role models for their children, even helping others to life themselves a little higher?  My parents are excellent examples of leaders.  They are always willing to serve others to help improve their country and community.  History books may never be written of their lives, but that does not diminish what they have done and the kind of leaders they are.

There are many examples of leaders and leadership demonstrated throughout history.  There are many great leaders today.  I believe we must all strive to become better leaders so that one day, if history calls upon us to lead a great cause, we will be prepared.