Deja  vu

Anyone who knows post World War II history or anyone who lived through that period should remember the events that kept the world and our nation in a state of tension. The world was dealing with turmoil in race relations, the threat of nuclear war, and violent conflict in the Mideast in the 1950s, '60s and '70s. This was a time when the constant threat of violence between or within nations meant that any incident could be the possible catalyst for international or civil wars.

We survived those years and the problems of that time were tamped down but were not all resolved. Recent events have demonstrated that those problems are resurfacing and bringing a sense of dejà vu to those of us who remember. We need leadership to bring a sense of civility and to guide our nation through these troubled times. We do not need leaders who keep the tensions and the sense of division stirred up.

I served in the Army from 1968 to 1973, and I watched as the social and political turmoil of the time took its toll on our armed forces. By 1973 morale had hit new lows; there was a sense that we had no leadership, direction, or mission; and the proof of this was visible on the televised "Watergate" hearings. There were real questions within the military about how damaged our armed forces were from the Vietnam War, the state of race relations, the damages done to our civilian leadership, and what the effect was on our military readiness.

I do not believe we have reached that point, but I do believe we are on the same road without the strong moral and principled leadership we need. Our current lack of leadership is failing to unite our country and return us to our founding principles. Where are the politicians who believe "all men are created equal," and who believe that the nation takes priority over political party? Those who accept the responsibility for the defense of this nation deserve that type of leadership.

Jack Dragoni attended Boston College and served in the U.S. Army in Berlin and Vietnam. He lives in Chaffee, Missouri.