Sometimes we think politicians are all talk, all hot air. And while I am a firm believer in the old adage that actions speak louder than words, I know that words are important. Anybody who has ever had the bitter taste of putting their foot in their own mouth knows this.
Hopefully I'm not breaking too many copywrite laws by posting this excerpt from Lee Iacocca's book Where Have All the Leaders Gone:
"Words can inspire. They can lift us to heights we never dreamed possible. Words can also provoke fear and rage. They can pound people into the ground. A true leader always strives to inspire. That doesn't mean he can't express outrage. But he motivates people to act by appealing to the good in their hearts, not the evil in the hearts of others. He motivates people with possibilities, not with threats. President Dwight Eisenhower once said, 'You don't lead by hitting people over the head. That's assault, not leadership.' If you want to know how we got to the point of condoning torture, all you have to do is look at the trail of rhetoric from our leader: axis of evil, mushroom cloud, shock and awe, wanted dead or alive, ticking time bombs, enemies of freedom, the forces of darkness and tyranny, you're with us or against us, bring 'em on."
Then there are the words of Robert Kennedy:
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2 comments:
Awesome post!
Words are powerful! So are visuals...thanks for the video of Bobby Kennedy!
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