Dirty politics: Power before people

The streets are burning, people are dying and some are losing hope as they watch it all unfold. Meanwhile, many who claim to have the best interests of the nation in mind say and do nothing because their lust for power is at the heart of every decision they make.

I don't care what side of the aisle you sit on, if you can remain silent, refusing to speak up against brutality of any kind -- that includes the killing of innocent citizens by police, the killing of police by citizens, the looting of businesses, the harassment of individuals, the list goes on -- you are about as corrupt as the people guilty of these actions. Yet, you want people to trust you to lead a nation.

Rather than condemn what's going on, many so-called leaders have said nothing, waited an eternity to say something or have actually suggested approval or understanding. What's to understand about what's going on? Why would it take a presidential candidate so long to speak out? Why would members of Congress seemingly applaud it? Why would anyone with any decency at all look the other way from it?

This is dirty politics. Or is that redundant? When you value position over people, you'll do and say or not do and say whatever you feel is necessary. When condemning acts of violence may cause you to slip in the polls with a certain demographic you're pandering to, you'll sell your soul to Satan to turn it around. This is why it may be true that the best leaders are the ones who had no ambition to lead but recognized a call and reluctantly responded. People who dream day and night of power will go hard to get it and then go harder to keep it. These are some scary folk.

These are people who can see people dying, and their first thought is to blame their opponents because that's more important than anything else. You know, "Never let a serious crisis go to waste." These are the people who will watch people bullying convention-goers and not call for the behavior to stop. These are the people who will see violence on the streets and refuse to call it violence -- to play dumb like what the world is seeing is not what we're seeing. And yet, these are the people who want us to trust them.

One of the things I have always said about not voting for pro-abortion candidates is this: "If I can't trust you with a baby, I can't trust you with a country." Same principle.

Whether we're talking about the coronavirus, cops or any kind of chaos, really -- folks whose natural impulse is their political agenda should not be in a position of leadership, and the reason is simple: they want it too bad. And because they do, they have more important things they should be doing, instead. "What's more important than leading a city or a state or a nation?" one may ask. Simple. Leadership expert John Maxwell says that the most difficult person one will ever lead is himself. He's right, of course. If one cannot put himself aside in times like these, when the need to do so is glaring, he won't do it any time. When you'll lose your soul to win an election, you're unfit. When victory matters more than a vision for positive change, you've already lost more than the American people can give you. When blaming your opponent because it benefits you overrides demanding the guilty be held accountable, you're not ready for what we need -- to be a light in the darkness during these crucial times. So, yes, there are more important things for you right now. Get yourself together first and then maybe come see us later -- when you truly have a servant's heart and not a self-serving spirit.

One may say there are no people who fit the bill, who want to do right, who care more about people than power. I beg to differ. I believe such people exist, rare as they are. They often don't come in the packages we're used to receiving, so when they get delivered, we often don't recognize them and seek to return to sender. It behooves us, therefore, to be vigilant -- to look and listen carefully -- and then respond accordingly. None of us should be so loyal to a person or a political party that we're willing to grant power to those who don't come close to deserving it. Of course, no one is perfect; I understand that. To be honest, we don't even deserve perfection -- but we do deserve decency.

Adrienne Ross is owner of Adrienne Ross Communications and a former Southeast Missourian editorial board member.