A few days ago, Haitian-born Wyclef Jean, a musician by profession, officially announced that he will run for Haiti's president in the next election. I heard about this person for the first time in the news when Haiti suffered that massive earthquake over six months ago and made it to the world news. Jean, who heads a charity called Yele Haiti, came under scrutiny for financial improprieties involving in his charitable organization.
I watched an interview with Jean on TV. The reporter asked him what made him think that he is qualified to become the president of Haiti? He responded that he is a leader and that qualifies him to run for president of Haiti.
Is that really true? If a person thinks he/she is a leader that means he/she would be a good political leader or president for their country?
What makes a person a good political leader or president of a country? This category of people has to be in the endangered species list because they are far and few. The two popular good ones who readily comes to mind are President Bill Clinton and President Nelson Mandela.
What make them stand out from the rest of the crowd? Let's start with President Nelson Mandela - South Africa's great freedom fighter. He sacrificed over 25 years of his life in prison and his family for the well-being of his country and its people. He puts his country's and its people's welfare above his. In doing so, he conquers the lower self and in the process, rids himself of the human ego to a large extent. He strives for higher ideals only few people reach for. He understands the higer purpose of living. He is a faithful student of another great freedom fighter, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. Nelson Mandela, like the Mahatma, will live on long after he sheds the human body.
President Nelson Mandela
President Bill Clinton by definition was a good political leader this world has seen in a long time. He inherited a free and dynamic America and built upon those premises. A lawyer by profession, he has years of political experince under his sleeve, so it was only natural that he was going to run for the White House. He was ambitious, smart and articulate. He was and still is a very good speaker and understood the needs of the American people well. He appeared to genuinely want to make a better life for the populace. That's the main reason why people should run for the president of a country anyways, right? Back to President Clinton, he did not appear to be overtly egotistic, but that did not mean that he rid himself of the lower self. It was more a case of being the president is a job and one that he was prepared to do very well. One wonders if he would have been willing to make the sacrifice like President Mandela did for his country, should such a situation presents itself? That's when great leaders are truely tested and born. Yet, President Clinton is one of the greatest presidents this country has seen in a long time.
So, who is a good leader? And, who qualifies to be a good political leader?
Until people who are inclined to lead realizes the true nature and purpose of life, only then can one become a good leader. That is the reason why the great Mahatma Gandhi continues to live among us and will live on for as long as mankind exits on earth. He personified what great leadership is all about. He harnessed the greatness from within himself to conquer his lower self. He lived the three pillars of humanity and of Hinduism, "Satyam or Truth, Bramhacharya or Self-control of all the senses and Ahimsa or Non-Violence." Need I break it down more?
Anybody who desires to be a good leader needs to study his life and works. And, the last question: who is a good political leader?
Well, it is a combination of many things: foremost is the desire to serve one's country and people, a noble cause indeed. Different people run for office for different reasons and many become corrupted while in the office, as we have seen throughout the modern world. One has to remember always that, "Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely."
Sadly, because of human flaws and the ever present ego, it is very easy to stray from the right path. Becoming the president of a country is a very heady experience and if one is not properly grounded in a good value system, then one can very easily become prey to the ego and all its trappings. After all, the president of a country is the most powerful position of all to behold.
A good president or political leader will put the needs and well-being of the people above his/her self; he/she must be an embodiment of truth, humility, sincerity, simplicity, courage, be intelligent and with a cool head, have a working knowledge of diplomacy, be peaceful, be an inspiring speaker, understands international affairs very well and inspires and motivates the people to strive to become the best they possibly can. There are other humna traits as well.
So, does Wyclef Jean qualify to be the president of Haiti? Well, he is free to campaign for the elections, but that does not mean he is qualitified to be the president of the country nor that he will win the elections. That remains to be seen. But, we the people must see the need to elect presidents who epitomize good human values.
Getting back to this idea that people have that to serve one's country one has to become the president of that country is total nonesense. Any expatriate who has a desire to serve his fellow countrymen, women and children could do so by simply serving the people directly. Most countries have a population of poverty-stricken families and children. Haiti has its fair share. Why not raise funds in an honest manner, use the money to buy food, clothing and other necessities and supply them directly to these families and children? Why not sponsor a few poor children and put them through school and college? Why not supply hospitals with medications that are badly needed for the sick? There are so many causes, just pick one of them.
Mother Teresa did not become the president of India to serve that country's sick and down-trodden? And, what is her status? She is a saint. How many of us will reach sainthood? Not many.
Mother Teresa
If many of these people take a minute to look deeply within themselves and engage in some soul-searching, they will find the answers within themselves. And often time, the answers from within does not match the wolf cries from outside. Listen to the voice from within, it knows best.
So, please, to the folks who desire to serve their country, think of more original ways to help the people and let not it be: "I want to be the president of my country because I want to serve my people." That statement has lost its merit a long time ago. Peace.
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