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EDITORIAL:
TRUE NATURE OF LEADERSHIP
By Bernard Holloway
After several attempts to sit down and write,
there I was, locked up in the Undergrad at one
o’clock in the morning, desperately searching
for a theme to this column.
So naturally I turned to the upcoming
presidential election for inspiration, thinking
that I could write 700 words about ‘The Themes
of This Year’s Elections’ and make a night of
it. Here’s what I came up with:
Traditional American Values
Personal Character: Is Bush or Kerry’s better?
Staying Secure at Home and Abroad
And before I got fed up and trashed my notebook
– okay, laptop – in frustration, I got an idea.
Everyone from Fox News to theFacebook.com has
focused on what the candidates think, so
wouldn’t it be great to hear from actual voters
about what the future of America should hold?
Unfortunately, from my lofty perch above the
studying masses, I wasn’t able to find anyone
willing to talk to me who wouldn’t bite my head
off for disturbing them and the ‘Quiet Please’
sign hanging over their head.
So I guess you’ll just have to settle for the
completely un-scientific survey of what I’d like
to see in an ideal candidate for President of
the United States:
Someone with a clear vision for our country.
Someone who understands that creating equal
opportunity in America takes more than
just hard work and faith, but a helping hand and
financial assistance.
Someone who is intimately aware that ‘diversity’
is not just a buzzword but a way of life.
In short, I want Barack Obama.
But since my dream of placing Illinois’ next
senator in the White House is just a pipe dream
right now, let’s refocus the conversation on my
original question: what goes into making a good
president? To be honest, a lot.
Most of our presidents are mediocre, at best.
That fact is what makes this year’s election –
which many say could be the most important
election of our lives – so interesting. If
everyone’s right, wouldn’t you want to make your
best decision as a voter now?
So to make a decision this year, I’ve looked for
a candidate who exhibits the true nature of
leadership: a candidate that is open to new
ideas, possesses a wide circle of advisers and
is able to reconcile their occasionally
conflicting views, and most importantly is
willing to question him or herself when a
decision they’ve made has gone wrong.
John Kerry is that candidate. Hey, while he
might not be on the first ballot for the
National Black Hall of Fame he’s not chop-suey.
Just because a candidate doesn’t articulate his
support for your interests during the campaign
doesn’t mean he won’t have your back in the Oval
Office. To see that point illustrated in full,
all one has to look no further than President
Bush.
During the 2000 campaign, the Bush touted his
brand of ‘compassionate conservatism.’ Though I
wonder how many people suffering from
Parkinson’s disease, juvenile diabetes, and
other life-threatening disorders view his
decision to limit stem-cell research as
compassionate.
The President has constantly stressed personal
responsibility while on the stump, but pushed
through tax cuts worth millions of dollars for
the top-one percent of income earners in America
– tax cuts that our generation will be paying
off for the rest of our lives. How responsible
is that?
Finally, in response to an outcry from religious
conservatives, this year the President signaled
his support for a constitutional amendment to
ban gay marriage.
So who does President Bush really represent –
compassionate conservatives or rich, Christian,
conservative ideologues?
In almost thirty years of public life, John
Kerry has had his share of high moments and
missteps. He’s supported a myriad of causes dear
to the heart of Black America – including the
abolition of capital punishment – and has
demonstrated a willingness to work across party
lines for the greater good.
His efforts have exhibited the true nature of
leadership, and if we don’t support him he might
not have a chance to bring a truly diverse group
of people to the decision-making table.
And if he doesn’t live up to expectations, what
will we have? Another mediocre president.
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