Leaders in Hard Times?

As the world continues to stagger along with life-shattering troubles in Somalia, in London, in the stock markets of the world, in the Middle East, in our job market, in weather-generated catastrophes, etc., my wife and I talked today about hope and from where it derives. Although my hope is centered in Divine aid that, if we were worthy of it, I am convinced we could get, another place from where it derives is from political leadership. Being on the same wave-length, as we usually are, we both immediately thought of Winston Churchill and the type of leadership he demonstrated in the darkest days, for the British, of World War II.

What was the difference between the type of leadership Churchill demonstrated and the lack of leadership we see emanating from Washington D.C. in these dark days? As I reviewed mid-20th Century history in the West I could not find then the finger-pointing, bickering, posturing, take-a-vacation, type of ‘leadership’ we now see from our elected ‘leaders.’ What I did see, from Mr. Churchill especially, was down-in-the-trench, call-it-like-it-is, require-from-the-people sacrifice that everyone, from the ‘leaders’ down, would all need to make in their darkest hour.

What I haven’t heard from our ‘leaders’ in Washington is the request for the American people, as well as themselves, to make some specific sacrifices, for us to become involved in the great power that is latent in our democracy and to quit pretending that ‘government’ by these ‘leaders’ can solve all the problems we face. They have quite forgotten, it seems, as Abraham Lincoln said, that “this nation, under God…[is] of the people, by the people, and for the people.” The focus should be, as the Constitution says, “to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility…promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity….”

It is illuminating to contrast the focus of our ‘leaders’ to make their number one concern their own reelection with what the Prime Minister of England, this master statesman, said when the Western world was facing their darkest hour:

"I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat. We have before us an ordeal of the most grievous kind. We have before us many, many months of struggle and suffering.
You ask, what is our policy? I say it is to wage war by land, sea and air. War with all our might and with all the strength God has given us, and to wage war against a monstrous tyranny never surpassed in the dark and lamentable catalogue of human crime. That is our policy.
You ask, what is our aim? I can answer in one word. It is victory. Victory at all costs—Victory in spite of all terrors—Victory, however long and hard the road may be, for without victory there is no survival."

A month later Mr. Churchill continued to encourage his people:

"I have, myself, full confidence that if all do their duty, if nothing is neglected…we shall prove ourselves once again able to defend our Island home, to ride out the storm….
We shall go on to the end…we shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength…we shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets…we shall never surrender, and even, if, which I do not for a moment believe, this Island or a large part of it were subjugated and starving, then our Empire beyond the seas, …would carry on the struggle, until in God’s good time, the New World, with all its power and might , steps forth to the rescue and the liberation of the old."

And then, three weeks later this great man said this:

"I expect that the Battle of Britain is about to begin. Upon this battle depends the survival of Christian civilization. Let us therefore brace ourselves to our duties, and so bear ourselves, that if the British Empire…last for a thousand years, men will still say, ‘This was their finest hour.’"

Seven years before, in our country, the president of the United States said this:

"This is pre-eminently the time to speak the truth, the whole truth, frankly and boldly. Nor need we shrink from honestly facing conditions in our country today. This great Nation will endure as it has endured, will revive and will prosper. So, first of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself – nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance. In every dark hour of our national life a leadership of frankness and vigor has met with that understanding and support of the people themselves which is essential to victory."

Though I take issue with the political philosophy and policies of the Franklin D. Roosevelt administration, there is no question that the American people rallied to his type of leadership in the time when leadership was needed.

Harriet Beecher Stowe had it right when she said, “Half the misery in the world comes of want of courage to speak and to hear the truth plainly and in a spirit of love.”

Where are the leaders in this hard time for America and for the world? They don’t seem to have their offices in Washington D.C.