Without leadership, the red sky illuminates the occupying movements in our cities that can only dissolve into anarchy. The 99 per cent will fracture itself into the multitude. Malcontent, frustrated, rudderless, adrift in an incomprehensible economic storm, we continue to struggle with currents taking us into the unknown.
But the question remains: what do we want?
What does anyone want? Stability and opportunity come first to mind. Love and fulfilment are very personal goals. The intellect must be fed along with the body. And shelter for our Canadian winters. We are human, so we always want more. What the occupying movement indicates is that it wants fairness. Grossly inflated wealth for a few is a problem when others are paying the price.
But if the much maligned one per cent gave all of their wealth in equal proportions to the 99 per cent, we would all be poor. That is not a solution. Why not promote fairness? Does the chief executive officer need to be paid millions when workers get minimum wages? Do executives deserve bonuses when the workers cannot get a raise? We do not need to dictate fairness, we need to understand it.
Do we, as a society, ensure opportunity? Higher education is for those who can use it. No person should be denied that which they are capable of doing.
Health care is a right. A clean environment must be our heritage. Child care is for all, the most precious of society.
There will be pessimists who will sound the alarm, saying this is not attainable. It might not be today but, if we work together today, it might be attainable tomorrow.
Leadership says that this is the direction in which we want to go. Leadership is asking people to share in the task of getting us where we want to go. It is not a direction that takes us over the backs of others. It is a direction in which we can all share.
And we must share equally. In sharing, we are equal. In sharing, we have direction. Our goals come to realization. And our sky is no longer burning.
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Copyright 2011 © Peter Lowry
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