A leader’s job is to lead. This may seem like stating the obvious; but in this era of polls, focus groups, and triangulating politicians, it’s standard practice for candidates to tell voters what they want to hear. But that’s following, not leading. A real leader figures out solutions to problems, or what a policy ought to be, and then persuades the public it’s what we should do. In other words, a leader gets in front of public opinion and shapes it, instead of tagging along with the mob.
If you’ve studied history, you’ll remember that FDR appreciated the Nazi threat long before the American people did, and was hampered in preparing the country for the coming war — even after Poland and France were overrun. Until Pearl Harbor unequivocally dragged America into the fight, the most he could do was provide credits and materiel to Britain, but fortunately that was enough to keep our last functioning European ally alive and in the fight.
FDR’s leadership wasn’t flawless. He approved the internment of Japanese-Americans, and his administration failed to deal with the racism and segregation in American society, and also failed to provide sanctuary for Europe’s threatened Jews. But he was a leader on the two most prominent issues of the time, getting America out of the Depression, and winning World War 2. Today, the challenges are different, but America still needs a leader who knows what needs to be done, and has the skills to persuade the American people to do it.
Tossing red meat to snarling mobs isn’t leadership. That’s what Donald Trump has been doing ever since last week’s Paris attacks, by floating suggestions like closing mosques and setting up a database to track Muslims in our country, although when pressed by journalists about the latter idea, he walked back a bit from it (read story here). That’s not leadership; it’s arson. It’s playing with matches; it’s throwing gasoline on a fire. It’s not what is needed now.
President Obama is doing the right thing by confronting the Republican governors and congressmen who want to pander to ignorance, fear, and bigotry. He’s a leader. Donald Trump is one of the weak, shameful, followers of the mob in this situation. Do you see where this is going? He’s not the right person to replace President Obama.
Let’s loudly and firmly reject Trump’s misguided ideas about labeling Syrian refugees, and Muslims in general, as potential threats and imposing burdens on them we don’t impose on anyone else. He’s wrong, and we shouldn’t follow him. Our beefs are with Al Qaeda and ISIS. Let’s go after those groups and their followers wherever we can find them. Leave the innocents out of this. Our fight isn’t with them, and treating them with hostility and suspicion will get us nothing useful in return.
America has proven over and over again it’s not that kind of a country, when it’s led by someone who, instead of feeding our worst instincts, inspires us to the best we can be.
Update: Trump’s knee-jerk demonizing of refugees and Muslims is so blatant and stupid even some of his Republican rivals are jumping on him for it. “I find it abhorrent that Donald Trump is suggesting that we register people,” Jeb Bush said. “Donald Trump is unable to unite and lead our country,” John Kasich said. Ted Cruz said it would violate First Amendment rights. (Read story here.) As for me, I think a lot of things should disqualify Trump from the presidency, and this is only one of them.