Thursday, July 19, 2007
Society or Leadership
It was posed to me that leaders do not really direct what a society does. The society evolves and changes because of the collective actions of the members of the society.
I am not sure but I think it can be both.
Ronald Reagan was a very popular president and he was very conservative. During his tenure in the White house people started dressing neater and keeping their hair cut shorter etc.
So did people start acting more conservatively because their leader did. Or did he become our leader because people were ready to start acting more conservative and wanted a leader to reflect those values.
I remember the Just Say No to Drugs campaign. It seemed kind of silly and many of the Hollywood left and others made fun of it and ridiculed the Reagan's for it. But you know what it did work some. It worked as well as any other anti drug program worked.
I guess it is kind of a chicken and egg scenario.
I am not sure but I think it can be both.
Ronald Reagan was a very popular president and he was very conservative. During his tenure in the White house people started dressing neater and keeping their hair cut shorter etc.
So did people start acting more conservatively because their leader did. Or did he become our leader because people were ready to start acting more conservative and wanted a leader to reflect those values.
I remember the Just Say No to Drugs campaign. It seemed kind of silly and many of the Hollywood left and others made fun of it and ridiculed the Reagan's for it. But you know what it did work some. It worked as well as any other anti drug program worked.
I guess it is kind of a chicken and egg scenario.
Labels: political leaders
Monday, July 16, 2007
A time of war
I visited my daughter who is a US Marine at her new base on the east coast this summer. It was an eye opening experience for someone who lives in California, where we have virtually no impact from this war. No matter what your viewpoint on the Iraq war is, the truth is that we are at war with Islamo-fascists that hate America and everything it stands for.
The fact that we are at war is readily apparent when you see the security measures that are in place around the base. One of the striking things that caught my eye were the concrete barriers, to prevent suicide car bombs, around base exchange and commissary and my grandson's daycare. They are anywhere that many Marines or Marine families congregate.
This concern for security in light of foreign US barracks attacks and the attempted plot at Fort Dix really is a reminder that we cannot sit back and assume that we are safe just because there have not been any attacks on the mainland US since 9/11. Like I saw on a big electronic sign at another base this summer "Complacency Kills".
The fact that we are at war is readily apparent when you see the security measures that are in place around the base. One of the striking things that caught my eye were the concrete barriers, to prevent suicide car bombs, around base exchange and commissary and my grandson's daycare. They are anywhere that many Marines or Marine families congregate.
This concern for security in light of foreign US barracks attacks and the attempted plot at Fort Dix really is a reminder that we cannot sit back and assume that we are safe just because there have not been any attacks on the mainland US since 9/11. Like I saw on a big electronic sign at another base this summer "Complacency Kills".
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