Should the Presidency reflect the Personality?
I have been following the movie series Homeland religiously for the past two months and i must really really commend those who put in thier money, effort and time into making such a wonderful hit blockbuster.
Anyway, in season 6 we were introduced into the presidency of America's supposed first female presidency and we saw a consistent rise of tyrannism and self pity vexed on the American people in an unfettered unleasing of vendictive inhumanness. That got me thinking.
When we look at history - (and i love history so much) we get to see the Americans glorifying the personalities of George Washington, Abraham Lincoln and Jack Kennedy.
The big question is did these men's personal character have anything to do with thier sucess in the white house or otherwise.
If we may start with the first, George Washington, he was a pristine selfless and personally upright freemason. From my studies it is clear that the Freemasonry is a brotherhood of the most disciplined and selfless of men in the world.
Did this attribute affect George's personality ? I will say yes.
He was like another Alexander on the battle field and that made a major difference. His men were never the less sastisfied that they had a leader who could sleep in the ice with them and march thirsty for hours. This trait was what he took into the presidency and it served the Americans well.
Now we look at Abraham 'Honest Abe' Lincoln. He was another austere Characther.
Like George he was a home grown boy, lived it rough and did a lot of muscular and backbreaking jobs like splitting the wood with the axe ( not an easy tax if you ask me).
He had a strong dislike for any attempt that attempted to belittle the human dignity qnd personality. Hence his outright dismay at Slavery- a thorny issue at the time.
When he won the presidency, he took that attribute into the White House and within a few months He had abolished slavery not minding the personal danger to his life or danger to the still young Nation.
History will tell you that while The USA survived the bloody civil war that its greatest casualty was Abraham Lincoln who was shot dead in 1863.
Now to the presidency of John Kennedy. Here the story takes a little twist to the left.
John Kennedy came on to the presidency amidst strong bi partisan, political and most especially religious acrimony. The average protestant American felt uncomfortable with this new young Catholic.
But Kennedy showed that he could bestride the divide and claim the most sought for office on earth.
His administration was a success - at least by the standard of the time. He succeded in introducing America into the space race and carefully steered The world away from a world war III.
But the queation, was this refelctive of his personal character?
The answer is no.
Personally Kennedy has been shown to be a weak, vassilitating, abusive husband and sick man.
Yet the Americans revere him at the status of Lincoln and Washington.
The bottom line of this analysis will become clear that it is very possible to set aside personal traits in other to foster a nation that will flourish even more. In essence this is a clarion call to leadership the world over that where a personal trait will lead to the populace suffering that such personal trait should be subdued. Buy where it will boost the nation then let it be highlighted.
Otherwise it becomes difficult to imagine what America will be like today if Abraham Lincoln had not stamped off on slavery or whether there even would have been an America if not for the resolve and dedicatedness of George Washington and his team.
Or it becomes incredible to imagine how the Russians will have won the cold war if Kennedy had allowed his weak, sick and fluid personality to take hold.
In conclusion our leaders should learn that the office of the presidency is not one to use and vent negative personality traits.
It is not an office to use and abuse a section of the country or a branch or section of a proffession. instead, it is to be used for an all time effort to further the welfare of the people as Washington, Lincoln and Kennedy did.