I'm Looking for a Leader

I'm Looking for a Leader

I'm looking for a leader—and there's not really a better way I can say it.

This is not a political push, but if you're looking kudos, I guess I can pop into a satirical congratulatory effort for 6 seconds. Good job, Mr. President, you got Suddam Hussein's head on a proverbial platter, and, who knows, maybe you'll even manage to snag Bin Laden before the next elections. But while this country's resources are being depleted in a battle that is currently scarce for winners, the leader I'm starved for has an eye for the issues plaguing us in our own homes, in our city streets, and in the minds of everyone who shakes your hand. Consider this a 'Want Ad,' and you, my friend, just became a member of the search party.

It's imperative you see the following with clarity. I'm about to present you a list. I suppose I could preface the series with the fact that each of the items is based on personal opinion. Instead, if you'd like to debate whether or not the aggregate is putting a strangle-hold on a healthy progression of society, name the time in place.

I'm looking for a leader who recognizes what society has taken for granted when more people in this country vote for American Idol than vote for our political leaders; who cringes at the fact that parenting has lost the art of discipline and kids have lost the art of respect; who is angered that we've deemed it acceptable for students to shy away from original thoughts due to the simplistic practice of a 'copy and paste'; who worries about the trend of one new curse word becoming acceptable for cable television every year; who is saddened by the lost observance of family time and even more so by its replacement with an Xbox; who wonders why HIV and teen pregnancy prevention seems to be a fad that our country passed by; who 'like' hates the wave of 'like' teenagers and college students who 'like' starting every sentence with the word 'like'; who keeps asking why Canada has such a strong healthcare system; who demands discussing the forecast of our natural resources being depleted by the year 2050; who cringes because political campaigns have turned into a fifth grade name-calling contest; who inserts sarcasm when asking how we're going to remove 'God' from all these quarters; who has witnessed the email evolution eliminate a portion of interpersonal effectiveness; who is disgusted with the fact that young boys can name 20 professional athletes and recite their stats but can't name 20 state capitals; who knows that middle class has joined the set of the series 'Lost' because no one wants to talk about it; who argues against paying college athletes with the rebuttal of a university education being a generous reward; who sees the problem with eliminating grammar from schools 'because the Microsoft red squiggly line takes care of it'; who wants to scream every time the news reports that Congress has voted themselves another raise.

Absorb the notions for a brief moment because I'm about to increase the stakes of my demands…

More importantly, the person I'm seeking wants to do something about it.

I want to reiterate that my motivation has no political agenda. I'm not chastising anyone or distributing labels of incompetence. Furthermore, I have no intention of belittling any global or socioeconomic issues. There are hundreds of issues that affect our daily lives—I'm just trying to wipe the dust off some quagmires I don't want forgotten. If I allow them to stay covered, I'm another piece of the problem and nowhere near the solution.

Let's talk about role assumption for 37 seconds. The person I'm looking for is not looking to solve every single bullet from the list above. This person doesn't have to be tall or persuasive or charismatic or possess any of the clichéd characteristics discussed in MBA classes around the world. But he or she does want to tackle ONE of the issues, and he or she knows the passion, dedication, and tears it's going to take…and he or she wants the task anyway. That's 50% of leadership. The other 50% is acquiring believers, because you're only a leader if someone is following you.

I'm looking for a leader. Do you know her? Do you know him?

No matter your answer, I'm going to continue looking. Consequently, if I've happen to stir up some emotion or hit a soft spot or simply remind you of something ugly, then I've empowered you to be the person for whom I'm looking. To make a difference, the first step is to merely know the different. I'm looking for a leader, so where are you going to take us?

~JRS