I learned this morning, as everyone else did, that Benazir Bhutto was killed in a suicide bombers attack at a political rally in the lead ups to what were supposed to be free and fair elections in Pakistan next month. I was shocked, as everyone is, by the abrupt nature of her death. Obviously, she had the courage and conviction to run any sort of political campaign in a political climate as violent and hectic as Pakistan.
Realizing this, it made me wonder which of our current crop of Presidential candidates heading into next weeks primaries would have the courage and conviction to do the same were their lives at such risk for merely standing up as the opposition. Would Mitt Romney be running for president if his life were in danger at campaign rallies? Would Hillary Clinton? Would Mr. 9-11 himself, Rudy Giuliani, make a stop on the trail if security weren't tight as a drum? Would Barack Obama? Would John Edwards or Mike Huckabee even start running if they knew shots might be fired?
The answers I came to were troubling to me. I honestly don't know if any of the candidates would have the strength of will to run for the highest office in the land in the face of such lethal adversity.
Does anyone?
This is something we should consider in choosing our candidates. Is it in their character to stand for something greater than themselves, as Benazir Bhutto did, and pay the ultimate price for the beliefs they held so dear?
Maybe we should ask them. Sadly though, all we'd get is a perfectly manicured answer designed by a team of writers and political strategists to put our minds ease.
In the meantime, we should remember the sacrifice of actual leaders of moral conviction, strength and bravery and how they handled themselves in times of severe strife in the countries they were trying to make better with democracy. But on this day, particularly the sacrifice of Benazir Bhutto.
Bryan Young blogs daily at This Divided State.
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Our politicians aren't selfless enough, just selfish.
So yes, he is willing to campaign knowing what is out there after him?
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/joe-biden/we-need-a-pakistan-policy_b_71399.html
Joe Biden's comments on Huffington Post on November 6th and 8th on how to avoid a crisis like today.
Joe Biden was endorsed by Pakistan's President because 1) Joe Biden was the most knowledgeable about his country of Pakistan and 2) Joe Biden was the only American candidate who cared. Joe Biden has been in weekly contact with Pakistan's President and has repeatedly said this was the most dangerous country on the planet right now, not Iran.
Personally, I will settle for political bravery in a candidate.
To be fair, most presidential candidates are probably aware they may become targets.
Kucinich is the only with a consistent candidate of the American people. He has proven as mayor that he is not for sale.
Kucinich is so feared by the MSM that his impeachment of Cheney got zero headlines. Russert was tasked with "Moon beaming" Kucinich, and finally Kucinich was just excluded from the debates, since he was getting huge applause for impeaching Cheney.
Google Kucinich Wins
We can hope HRC will be different then the face she presents to win, but it rarely turns out that way.
Obama's eager choice for a "mentor" in the senate was Joe Lieberman, How can I possibly trust Obama, knowing that?
Strength Through Peace!
Kucinich!
Studs Terkel writes a great article about Kucinich:
http://www.thenation.com/doc/20020506/terkel
On what basis is democracy supposed to be some de facto good form of government?
what we have is at least as corrupt and compromised as any other form of government in any other country today.
While OUR political enemies here in America don't resort to suicide bombers, when someone becomes a dangerous enough threat to the power status quo, they usually wind up just as dead.
Paul speaks openly and candidly about the institutions that want to form a North American Union, that argue for the elimination of our Civil Rights, and defiantly spy upon us using the telecoms.
They killed 2 Kennedys and MLK because they were threats. And Paul today is the most dangerous man alive.
Welcome to The Revolution!