Editorials

Leadership You Can Disbelieve In

By Final Call News | Last updated: Nov 3, 2016 - 12:14:18 PM

What's your opinion on this article?

editorial_election2016_11-08-2016.jpg

The presidential election for 2016 is unlike any in modern U.S. history and perhaps in the history of the United States as two widely unpopular, distrusted and polarizing candidates seek to lead the country. Neither seems particularly outfitted to handle such a role in a way that will bring America together and neither seems to have a compelling vision.

“Leaders help themselves and others to do the right things. They set direction, build an inspiring vision, and create something new. Leadership is about mapping out where you need to go to ‘win’ as a team or an organization and it is dynamic, exciting, and inspiring. Yet, while leaders set the direction, they must also use management skills to guide their people to the right destination, in a smooth and efficient way,” according to a definition of leadership outlined on www.mindtools.com.

The article described a “transformational leadership” model in which an effective leader creates an inspiring vision of the future, motivates and inspires people to engage with that vision, manages delivery of the vision, coaches and builds a team, so that it is more effective at achieving the vision.

Neither Republican Donald Trump nor Democrat Hillary Clinton present a compelling vision for the country, in part, because they are so distrusted and disliked. It would be one thing if public disdain and skepticism existed because these two individuals offered truthful messages that needed to be heard.

Their messages play to their respective bases of support and as the election winds down focus more and more on expanding their base of support to win. But while Mrs. Clinton argues America is already great and has been great, Mr. Trump vows to make America great again—racially coded language that means Make America White Again. So while Mrs. Clinton ignores the reality of a deeply troubled nation, Mr. Trump panders to White Victim Syndrome, the feeling that all things White are under assault.

America cannot be great today because she fails the litmus test laid down by Jesus as a standard for measuring greatness, in Matthew, Chapter 25, beginning with verse 35: 35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: 36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.

37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? Or thirsty, and gave thee drink?

38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? Or naked, and clothed thee?

39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?

40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:

America has failed to care for the least of these in society and has earned divine chastisement for her cruel mistreatment of the Black man and woman, the children of her once slaves. And as the Honorable Elijah Muhammad has taught and the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan has reminded us and the world: Blacks in America and the Red nations are chosen by God as his beloved because they have suffered in the furnace of affliction. “We are going to have to be separated. There is no future for us in trying to make the American dream—which is an illusion—work for us. God wants to separate us and give us a land of our own, with Him as The Ruler,” said Min. Farrakhan Oct. 16 in Atlanta at the Holy Day of Atonement commemoration of the Million Man March.

“You are the beloved of God whether you want to accept it or not. He has chosen us out of the furnace of affliction; He saw in us the material necessary to build a brand new world—that world that Jesus prophesied of, and we in the church pray for every time we say The Lord’s Prayer, saying: ‘Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on Earth as it is in heaven.’ No politics can bring about the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth,” he added.

Mr. Trump’s divisive language, disrespect of woman and destruction of a major political party is pushing America further to the edge. He even declared that he should simply be named president and call it a day because Mrs. Clinton’s policies are so horrible. His surrogates and supporters find themselves saying his obscene words mean nothing, his character is unimportant and his leadership as a role model for the nation is inconsequential.

The best thing about this election is that it is acquainting us with the reality of a falling and fading empire. It offers us an opportunity to see what is happening and make the right decision for our survival. We cannot have faith in a dying and decadent nation. We cannot have faith in a country where we are slaughtered in the streets and denied justice. We cannot have faith in a nation that has never treated us properly. We have to recognize the painful truth and make an agonizing decision for a people who have always clung to their slave masters and former slave masters.

If America’s leaders cannot save their nation, how can they save us?