The Failure of Political Leadership

So today the number of COVID deaths in Texas today was 3834 with totals today in the US at 141,000. These deaths are so unnecessary because the COVID virus has been ensnared in the politics of the times. Early on, we could have addressed this virus and limited its reach if our politicians had not been playing “politics.”

If I had a relative who died because of this political football, I would be very angry. I have not had that. It was enough to suffer the loss of my mom during these days because the rampant spread of the virus caused the nursing home she was in to lock it down which limited visitors and simply confused more of the residents. I applaud the action of our Baptist Memorial family, but regret it came to this.

The fact is plain to me, our leaders did not lead. Our leadership did not make the hard choices, or brave the currents of disapproval to do the right thing. They were all cowards. Let me say that again, they were all cowards. No single person in elected office deserves praise for the inaction and the resulting death tolls that robbed innocent people of lives they could have lived. It was not just the old and infirm. It was the young, it was children, it was young adults, it was middle aged couples, and of course it was older Americans who had led distinguished and contributing lives to this culture and society who needlessly died because politicians did not stand up and take action. We should remember that in the next election cycle.

I have often asked myself the question, “What exactly is a leader?” Simple question, tough answer. What politicians often say is the “things that are important to my constituents,” or “the ideas of my party,” or the “wave of the latest thing pulsing through society.” None of those, in my opinion are leadership. There is really no basis in our history for such a tepid definition of leadership.

Real leadership is seeing the real issues which face the nation or threaten the nation and our culture. Seeing is only part of the solution. It also means effectively leading the nation to both see and respond to these challenges. It is both insight and motivation both of which are sorely lacking in our time.

Suppose in Congress and in the Legislatures around the country, we had a group of men and women who stood up and clearly articulated the issues before us, proposed solutions, and then set about to implement those solutions. Without regard to polls or donations pouring in, we had servants who simply served. They were people who actually did their job. They stood up to power, stood up to the electorate, stood up to enemies both foreign and domestic and with courage and confidence called us to move forward in hope.

COVID-19 is real. It has always been real. It was real when it crashed on our coasts January 22, 2020. It is neither more real today than it was then. It is no more lethal than it was then. And believing it is not does not lessen or impact the death toll. In fact, it increases it because ignorant folks want to believe it is some sort of conspiracy to deprive them of their “rights.” I would simply say, “You can decided to die if you want to, I however choose to live.”

I would sadly confess these are days when we are witnessing the failure of our grand experience of government called democracy. We are paralyzed in the tyranny of indecisiveness and moral cowardliness. Coupled with that is the corruption of the most vibrant aspect of our American Culture and our Christian faith—the Evangelical influence in American life. For “thirty pieces of silver” evangelical leaders have sold their place and power for lesser expressions of influence. Knowing that the rule of law cannot ever dictate the conduct of a people, they have bartered away the high ground for the lower ground of power. We are all the poorer for it.

How many more will die needlessly because of such a vacuum of courageous leadership?

Wash your hands, wear your masks for others, mind the gap, and be kind.