Balance Is Important

It is important to have balance. One needs to understand that decisions are not made in a vacuum. There are no absolutes but some things are right and some things are wrong. Some things you should yell and scream about, shout from the roof tops that you have identified something as wrong. Before you over react, consider whether what you have observed is worthy of being angry about. You do not have to agree with all of the actions you observe. There should be balance. Some actions might be worthy of comment. Some of them might be so minor as to be allowed to pass in the night without comment.

Choosing which actions you become angry about is in fact a measure of the kind of person you are. The kinds of fights you pick reflect your stature. Do you pick fights over minor things? Well you may be just a person of low level, such a person whose character can not rise above the trivial. On the other hand, is it the major, substantial issue that you attack with all your might, the ones that keep you up at night?

We measure our politicians by this kind of yard stick. What are their issues and how do they attack them? Who do they choose as advisors or close confidents? Are they men and women of stature or yes people who can barely see over the street curb when trying to observe any issue?

When we vote, it is with hope. We vote for one or the other because we hope that the one we are casting our precious vote for will be a person of stature, will be able to see the big picture, understand that leadership is about directing actions toward major goals and picking the important issues. As our leader, he/she should speak out strongly on the important issues and walk softly where the issues are not so clear.

Our President is demonstrating that his choices of what are critical and require loud statements from his bully pulpit may in fact miss the mark on so many levels.

Recent choices:

Iraqi dissidents risk their lives to protest a fixed election. Seventeen people are killed publicly protesting. Put aside that all candidates have to have the stamp of approval of the Supreme Religious Leader, there was still the need to fix the election. Our President first says who cares who wins, then I will not get involved, finally I will give the protesters a big hug.

North Korea sanctioned by the United (toothless) Nations for working on building a nuclear bomb and selling weapons to terrorists. The United Nations authorizes the boarding of North Korean ships at sea to insure that sanctions are being complied with. The USA has a warship in place to stop and search one of those North Korean transports. The President declares we will take a pass. Action might mean we would have to take a stand which might be controversial to the dictator club.

But with these and a substantial domestic economic crisis in progress what does our President choose to make a major issue. He identifies the one single issue that stands in the way of world peace and total happiness for all. The issue … Israeli settlements. If only Israel would stop building settlements, stop building for internal family growth, if only all the settlements would go away then the Palestinians would make peace, the Arab would make peace, everyone would love the United States, the President could win the Nobel Peace Prize and be declared the all time best.

What stands in the way of the President’s number one priority? Who knows?

It seems that the President ignores just the facts. The Palestinians only want a one state solution … and no Israel in that picture. The Arab countries that have made “peace” with Israel have no real form of peace. People do not have any meaningful relationship. Egyptians do not vacation in Israel and vice versa. Jordanians want no part of Israel. There was no peace before there were settlements and their will be no peace if Israel changes its settlement policy.

Unfortunately, the President does not read history.

Could someone send him a history book?