Leadership in crisis

Today Americans are facing one of the most dangerous crises in America's history due to the ravages of coronavirus pandemic. Crisis such as this will certainly test the wisdom and mettle of America's leaders.

History teaches us that there are wise leaders and unwise leaders. Actions of wise leaders are driven by knowledge about the world; lessons they have learned from history and personal experience; good judgment about people and situations; good insight into one's own behavior and its impact on people they lead; superior capacity for reasoning and critical thinking; high moral values, and noble virtues such as empathy, generosity, altruism, kindness, love of humanity, equanimity, grace, culture, manners, etiquette, etc. No matter how great the crisis might be, wise leaders always lead their subjects to peace and prosperity.

In contrast, actions of unwise leaders are driven by selfishness, arrogance, hatred, jealousy, fear, grandiosity, hypersensitivity, vindictiveness, impulsivity, thoughtlessness, ignorance, poor judgment, lack of reasoning, absence of humility, inability to learn, bloated ego, and many such human frailties. Naturally, their rule is characterized by chaos, lawlessness, divisiveness, xenophobia, bigotry, scapegoating, falsehood, chicanery, abuse of power, and the like. To shore up their insecurity, such leaders encourage people to create a cult of their personality. Invariably, leaders bogged down by monumental human frailties lead people to disastrous ruin and despair.

Now, I ask readers to sincerely decide, into which of these two categories does Donald J. Trump fit? For the future of America is in your hands.

K.P.S. KAMATH, Cape Girardeau