LEADERSHIP CULTIVATION

Tonight I Gave a Homeless Man Five Dollars…Was It Socialism?

When the temperature outside is 26 degrees it’s not a good time to make overly critical value judgments about the plight of another human being.  That’s why tonight I gave five dollars to a man down on his luck asking for a handout. I later wondered if some might consider my action, Socialism.

It wasn’t subsidizing a major corporation or giving tax breaks to the rich and famous, both acceptable behaviors, but instead mine was an act of compassion for another person in need. And it felt good. It was freezing cold outside and I wish I could have done more.  The man thanked me as he hurried inside the supermarket perhaps to buy some hot coffee by which to stay warm.

Socialism and its meaning as defined by some, comes into the equation, because as I listened to the many arguments against health care reform, a recurring theme was that most people were happy with their insurance coverage and health care reform was socialized medicine. Well, I too am satisfied with my insurance, but my support for health care reform is less of a personal need and more of a desire to help persons less fortunate.

We certainly are a nation of hypocrites. We can heartily profess love and concern for the welfare of our brothers and sisters inside our church walls and exhibit little or no empathy for others once we exit our places of worship. So is it really Socialism to help someone or is it merely a distortion of Christian virtues? All too often the answer will depend on where the question gets asked.

President Obama Wins 2009 Nobel Peace Prize...Another Proud Moment

The poet Robert Burns wrote that "the best laid plans of mice and men often go astray." That astute observation is never more evident than today when despite his many naysayers, President Obama has been awarded the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize. The President must be feeling an energy infusion. When President Obama "failed" to deliver the 2016 Olympics to Chicago, his detractors celebrated even though when I last checked, Chicago was still a part of the United States. "Obama was losing his influence in the world", they scoffed. I assume these flag waving critics wanted an exemption for their "uncharacteristic" un-American behavior. When the President showed that he was really serious about tackling the numerous problems that stressed this country like the economy, health care, climate control, and the Iraq War, his critics recoiled even more.  “Wait” they said. To their surprise and apparent disappointment, he was trying to do too much too soon. President Obama was not trying to protect his "rock star" image and it really must have been agonizing for them to watch their "empty suit" myth be so easily dispelled.

Now by awarding him the Nobel Peace prize, members of the global community have given the President a huge pat on the back and encouragement for his attempts to restore a sense of civility and cooperation in the world. So in an encore to the exhilaration I felt on November 4, 2008 with the election of Barack Obama as U. S. President, this is a proud moment for me and no doubt many others who believe that the time for change has come. The President continues to remind us that change will not come easy. Yet even when blowhards like Rush Limbaugh attack him 24/7 on talk radio and television, or during fake demonstrations, or by displaying bad manners during national presidential addresses, I hope that President Obama knows he is not alone and that many more of us have his back. 

Mr. President, we really are proud of you and celebrate this very special moment with you. So press on in your efforts! Keep pressing on! Your labor has not been in vain.

Health Care Reform is GOP's Waterloo, Not President Obama's

Senator Jim DeMint and his Republican cronies would have you believe that health care reform will be a Waterloo moment for President Barack Obama. It is quite the contrary. The Waterloo moment belongs to Republicans who have everything to lose.  After having maintained a 24/7 assault upon President Obama in an attempt to weaken his presidency, Republicans now perceive they have a winner with their organized opposition to health care reform.  Imagine that, the GOP for political gain has no shame in their game nor any reservation to sticking it to everyday Americans. Republicans are desperate for a victory and see a defeat of health care reform as the Promised Land.  Anything less than their total defeat of health care reform means farewell to the Republican Party as a major political force in America, but the demise of the GOP is eminent.

America has changed and is not excited about reversing course on a movement away from political gridlock.  Sensible Americans want progress to continue and are smart enough to understand that helping a neighbor who is less fortunate is not Socialism, but a principle of compassion taught and advocated by Jesus Christ. You would think that Bible-thumping Republicans would know better. A question I hear posed repeatedly is whether an individual is satisfied with their insurance plan.  More times than not the answer has been yes.  But health care reform is biggest than looking out for number one. It is needed to help the 48 million Americans whose insurance coverages are inadequate or nonexistence.  

It defies logic how right-wing Republicans can be so selfish or how Blue Dog Democrats can so easily check their spines at the door in order to retain Congressional seats. Dedicated servants of the people would rather lose their precious seats than lose their integrity by being a sellout.  It is a pathetic situation to witness. Some of these good men and women sing "When We All Get to Heaven" in church on Sunday morning, then exit the church doors and proceed to make life a living hell for many others who are less fortunate. For some, even Christian values are not sacred.  But there is another song sung entitled "They Will Know We Are Christians" by our love. It is not a selfish love for ourselves or our possessions, but refers to the love we demonstrate to others by our actions.

In the end, it is by our love that we show people we care about their problems. Every American should have access to adequate health care.  It is a need that is everyone's responsibility to ensure that it becomes a reality. We cannot leave that humanitarian act to chance or allow complacency to result in a self-serving GOP victory enabled by faux Democrats or the mainstream media that long ago lost its way.  It is time for compassionate people to mount up and join the fight for health care reform.  I think that President Obama will make it clear in his Wednesday night speech that he will lead that charge. I predict the eventual outcome will not favor the opposition.

The Revenge-Seeking Wrath of Rev. Wright

The 2008 Presidential Campaign has dispelled more than its share of commonly held beliefs. Before this campaign, it was widely held that overly negative politics filled with innuendos, inaccuracies, distortions, racial overtones and flat out lies were exclusive to Karl Rove and the Republican Party.  That was before we witnessed the campaign tactics that the Hillary Clinton campaign used against Barack Obama. 

Then there was what I coined the "gold-toed roach killer syndrome" which I erroneously thought was largely unique to southern White voters.  It's where white voters are so motivated by their prejudices against Black people, that they support political strategies that equally harm their own race as along as they believe that they can stick it to some Black people.  It's the old roach caught in the corner scenario where the wearer of that gold-toed roach killer boot, with immense satisfaction, places the extremely-pointed toe of their boot squarely into the roach's body cavity.  You can also call that the highly successful red-state strategy.

I used to think that hell-bent on destruction tactics also were unique to Republicans and some southern state White voters, but that was before Hillary Clinton ran her selfishly-motivated strategy to win the Democratic Presidential nomination by any means necessary, even if it means destroying the Democratic Party. What an educational experience this has been!

Now that brings us to Rev. Jeremiah Wright.  With the insincerely stated motivation of defending the Black church, Rev. Wright is running a gold-toed roach killer campaign to destroy the presidential candidacy of Barack Obama.  Rev. Wright has become bitter and is displaying a lot of characteristics that run counter to Christian principles.  He wants revenge, but the Bible teaches us that "revenge is Mine says the Lord".  The Bible tells us that "we must decrease so that God can increase." 

So what does Rev. Wright do?  He participates in a Pharisees and Publican-like campaign of praying in the public square with his high profile appearances on PBS, at the Detroit NAACP Convention, and at the National Press Club.  Again, I think the Biblical response to this type of self-promotion, is that it's not to please God, but to instead find reward amongst men.  "Decrease so that I may increase".

Now for all the pundits who have asked the question about the influence of Rev. Wright on Barack Obama, I think you have your answer.  Barack Obama.  His actions more like Rev. Jeremiah Wright or more like Jesus.  Rev. Wright shows us why we should always follow God instead of putting our trust in mankind.  I think that Obama understands this basic Christian principle.  Give any human being enough time and they will eventual fail you.  Why?  It's because we aren't perfect.  Only Christ holds that unique status.

Well Rev. Wright has built some provocative speed bumps on the crossroads to change, but the destinations points remain unchanged.  Do we want real change or do we want to continue with the same old divisiveness of 51% to 49% politics?  Do we want the constant gridlock between people who refuse to find common ground that benefits the common good? Robert Frost asked the same type of question when he wrote these thought provoking words. "Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference." Which road will America take? That's a decision that shouldn't be influenced by the actions of Rev. Wright.  I think that Rev. Wright is angry that Barack Obama was strong enough to choose the road less traveled.  Barack Obama shouldn't have to make the journey alone.

Barack Obama: Actions More like Rev. Wright or More Like Christ?

May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in Your sight oh Lord my God and my Redeemer.  I attend church on a regular basis, but notice that I didn't ask for the acceptance of my preacher or any preacher anywhere.  The preacher may be the spiritual leader of my church congregation, but Christ is the Head of the Christian Church.  Living the life of a Christian is an individual choice.  I think the words of a popular Christian song says it best, "though no one go with me, I still will follow".

As I was watching Anderson Cooper on CNN tonight, I was struck by a comment that guest Tony Perkins made when he said that "[he didn't see how Barack Obama could attend church sermons preached by Rev. Dr. Jeremiah Wright and not be adversely influenced by them]".  Well Tony, the answer is "easily."  God gives each of us a discerning spirit and a Bible to research and verify that what the preacher says is actually the Word of God.  Everything the preacher says is not taken at face value.  And Tony as a professed Christian, I'm sure that you are familiar with the Biblical command to "study to show yourself approved."

If you want to know if Obama is influenced more by Rev. Wright or Jesus Christ, you ask him.  Then you take him at his word.  The real question or measure of a person's sincerity is who does the person emulate. In the case of Obama, does his actions more closely reflect the sound bite YouTube sermon of Rev. Wright whom church he has attended for twenty years or do they more closely emulate the teachings of Christ. 

Christ is a unifier.  He accepts people equally regardless of their earthly status.  Isn't that what Obama has sought to do when he called upon Democrats, Republicans, Black people, White people, Latino people, young people and old people, men and women, to work together for the betterment of America.  No other candidate has captured the imagination of the country and inspired the nation more by their message of hope and call for change than Barack Obama.

But why do some people work so hard to keep the status quo.  An old wise person once said that some people just like to wallow in mess.  Why?  Well one obvious reason is that positive change can dry up their gravy train.  What would Rush Limbaugh do if his audience suddenly stopped listening to his nonsense?  Even when in our hearts we know that this country could use a makeover, we still resist.  Another reason for our hesitation could be that we know that the journey will be so difficult and the path of least resistance looks more inviting. 

However, the question remains.  As we have observed Barack Obama over these many months, has he exhibited behavior more like Rev. Wright (as seen in the YouTube video) or behavior more closely resembling the teachings of Christ?  I think the answer is clear.  Barack Obama has revealed himself as someone that Americans could be proud to call their President and I hope he gets a little Heavenly intervention.

Hillary Has Found Her Voice and It's Republican

After months of chameleon-like changes with her campaign strategies, Hillary Clinton has finally found her true voice.  Surprise, surprise, it's Republican!  With all the venom of a Karl Rove or the late Lee Atwater, who to his credit sought forgiveness for his actions, Hillary has unleashed a barrage of innuendos, record distortions, fear-mongering, race-baiting, and flat out lies aimed towards Barack Obama, that would make most right-winged Republicans recoil.

Hillary isn't just using the Republican playbook, she's releasing her own edition. It's a win at any cost strategy that will surely cost Democratic Party unity in November.  If Hillary benefits from her ill-advised tactics, in the fall a lot of people will have to decide which Republican candidate is more acceptable. Today in a vote between Hillary and John McCain, I choose McCain.

Right now for Democrats and voters at large, the choices couldn't be clearer.  If we want more of the same old rhetoric, the same old Democrat/Republican partisanship, the same old Red State/Blue State mentality, the same old class/race/religion divisiveness, the same old war, the same old Machiavellian Clintonism, which has revealed its true stripes with an air of entitlement, then vote for Hillary Clinton.

However, if we want civility in governance, like-minded Republicans and Democrats working together to find those real solutions that Hillary touts (because leadership does start at the top), if we want to unite the country and truly have a United States of America with it's people working together instead of placing a dagger in each other's backs at every opportunity, if we want to achieve real change or at least have the faith that real change can occur in our lifetime, because "Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen" (Heb.11:1), then vote for Barack Obama.

For the United States of America, it's our Robert Frost moment where, 

                                   "Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--
                                    I took the one less traveled by,
                                    And that has made all the difference."

   © 2008, Bussta Brown. http://leadershipcultivation.icopyright.com

Barack and Hillary Are Both Very Good Candidates...But

The Democratic debate tonight only verified what a lot of Democrats and Republicans already know and that is Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama are both very good candidates who are running for President of the United States.To be truthful, they both were strong debaters. But...beyond the base traits which they possess, I think that Barack Obama has more intangibles.

The question now is who is the best leader.  A leader at its core is someone who has followers and right now Obama has more followers.  He has the gift to inspire and I perceive the ability to move persons to action. I commend him for staying on the message of the need for a new model of change for the better and increased civility in handling the issues of today. I find that to be a ballot checking difference.

We all have problems with divorcing ourselves from the past.  That's why we have the repeated and pointed references to Farrakhan, anti-Semitism, African garb, and the playful mimicking of someone delivering a speech who may actually believe the words which they communicate and who may actually believe that they can bring about change.

That ability to inspire is what makes folks of different races, political parties, core values and different cultures be willing to grasp the possibility that in our lifetime, we can move to a higher place. 

Sidebar:  If I was a preacher I think now would be an excellent time to inject, "won't you come."

A Mirror and A Miracle

In the course of my lifetime, I have had a plethora of nicknames.  Some were good and some were not so good.  One nickname in particular had a deep psychological affect on my life.  When I was a small child, I had problems pronouncing words that begun with the letters "tw".  I avoided saying these words like the plague.  In fact if I was called upon in class to answer a math question that contained twenty or twelve in the answer, I got the answer wrong...on purpose.  The letters "tw" were in my street address.  There was no escape.  A close boyhood friend of mine knew that I couldn't say the words correctly and as kids are prone to behave, he sometimes taunted me by calling me Twenty and Twelve. 

The problem followed me to college and continued to cause me some degree of embarrassment and pain.  I think it was during my sophomore year, when one day when I was in my apartment alone, the thought entered my mind to practice saying the words correctly.  So I stood in front of the mirror in the foyer and repeatedly spoked the words, twenty and twelve, over and over and over again.  I was determined to pronounce the words right.  Without warning, to my surprise the correct pronunciation emerged from my lips. I couldn't believe it.  I didn't know if the success would be fleeting, but I was able to sustained saying the words correctly over and over and over again. 

I don't know why it happened on that particular day, but God blessed me in a marvelous way.  He had blessed me with a miracle.  To this day, I remember it as my mirror and miracle experience. God is awesome and is able to lift us up without fail, no matter what the situation.  However, it's God who controls the time line.  It's beneficial to be patience and faithful.  More miracles are possible.

Sidebar:  And if the miracle your doesn't come, praise Him anyhow.  For He is worthy to be praised!