You know, the US and France usually tend to try and export Freedom of conscience, freedom of speech, freedom of each and every citizen.
But how often do the leaders truly care about the people?
I will give you an example from my own life, that kind of hit the nail for me.
Some years ago. I worked as a teacher at a college. It was a junior appointment, but I loved it, and tried to, as any new teacher should do, to inspire the young in terms of ideas, and off cause democracy.
In my specific class, there was this wonderful young girl, who entered into the students organisation, and tried to fight for the rights of the student.
Something I was personally very proud of, seeing one of my students rise to leadership in the school democratic body of the students union, it made my very proud.
Then one day, when we had one of those endless discussions in the teachers college ABOUT the students, she enterede into the fray. Valiantly and courageously, she went into the teachers holy domain, where students are not allowed, and started to speak up for the students.
That moment it struck me, that all we teachers do, is talk ABOUT the students.
Now, mind me, it was a leading college in its own regard, so the discussions were loud and learned. We presented the teachings of Lacan and Derrida. I presented the ideas of Løgstrup and so on.
The problem was however, that we somehow got caught up in our own devises. In a sense in our own feeling of selfimportance.
WE were the leaders, so WE were supposed to discuss the wellbeing of the students.
We never asked the students what they wanted.
That is often a problem in modern politics as well. We get so caught up in the process of things, and forget about what it is really about. The will of the people.
That is something we should continuously remind ourselves about.
That there is a people out there. And our job is to listen to what they want.
I mean, why arent´we at the campaign train, out in the workspaces of normal hardworking American. Why are we so obsessed with all these battles in congress.
Why don’t we go out to where normal Americans live.
Listen to their needs, truly listen.
That is how you win elections, by listening to the needs of the people.
G-d bless the United States of America.