To truly lead, one must serve. This concept is an accepted foundation of all good leaders, be they political, business, or religious. They are entrusted to lead through wisdom and never fear; humility and never arrogance. History shows that to reject that principle ultimately leads to authoritarianism, dictatorship, and a manifestation of evil in the world.
But too many of our leaders have now let go of that basic practice, and it’s time that we hold all of our leaders to account.
The recent actions and latest comment of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is just one of the glaring examples of the hubris that has infected so many leaders. Trudeau, who himself dressed in blackface as a younger man, has the audacity to attack the courageous truckers protesting his draconian lockdowns as racists. He has condemned members of the Conservative Party of the Canadian Parliament for standing with people who wave swastikas and Confederate flags, including Conservative Party member Melissa Lantsman, herself a descendant of Holocaust survivors (who has demanded a public apology from Trudeau, who at the time of this article has not responded). The irony of a man who wore blackface accusing a Jewish colleague of siding with racist Nazis for disagreeing with his authoritarian measures is clearly lost on Trudeau. As he has invoked emergency powers, and forcibly arrested and attacked the truckers for their peaceful opposition to his authoritarianism, we can easily see that it is his actions that are actually similar to those of the Nazis of the last century.
We have been observing this type of behavior from supposed leaders for two years. The examples of elected leaders who demand masks for others but go maskless themselves are too many to mention. Obama, Biden, Pelosi, Newsom, Cuomo, and more betrayed the trust of leadership placed upon them with their authoritarian demands in direct contradiction. The images of Nancy Pelosi going to a hair salon or Gavin Newsom setting up a private dinner at an expensive restaurant while all other restaurants are forced to close should be forever etched into our minds as a reminder of leaders who chose hypocrisy over integrity; hubris over service.
The examples of non-elected leaders have sadly followed suit. Sports stars and celebrities have publicly screamed about the need for masks while they attend their elite gatherings without masks or their all-important “social distancing.” Sporting events seem to be a common excuse for their behavior, and the examples are countless. A California rabbi who demanded masks and vaccinations for all congregants over 5 years old recently tweeted out a picture of himself at the Super Bowl, and no masks were on him or the people around him. And we must always remember the image of Dr. Fauci enjoying the Opening Day of MLB at Nationals Park without any mask at the height of the outbreak in July of 2020.
Related: Democracy Dies in Canada
So many of our leaders, both elected and appointed, have betrayed us with hypocrisy during the last two years. Perhaps none as blatantly and arrogantly as Trudeau, who has taken to violence against the truckers of his nation; but we have all been betrayed too often. They have put our children at risk (there is little doubt at this point that the dangers of the vaccine are far greater for at least 12-15 year old boys than the virus itself), have now created a generation of younger people who are without the skill of understanding non-verbal and facial communication, and have destroyed families, businesses, and spiritual communities with their totalitarian mandates and restrictions.
But is there really anything that each of us can really do to stop the authoritarianism that is destroying so much of the fabric of society? There absolutely is, but it takes courage on the part of every individual.
The time has come when we each need to emulate the examples of the true leaders around us. Like the many houses of worship that refused to shut their doors when mandated to by the state, we must each refuse to continue to close our businesses. We must support and participate in home or church schooling pods instead of sending our children to be indoctrinated in blind submission to authority. We need to all emulate the courageous truckers to the north who have peacefully stood up for their rights and liberties, and hold boundaries that are true to our inherent beliefs in freedom.
And we need to personally be involved in changing leadership; removing the leaders of hubris and hypocrisy and replacing them with men and women of courage and ethics. If we want to regain a functional society based on individual liberty, we need to actively support political candidates who are opposed to the draconian measures that are still in place. If you have the time and energy, run for office. If the local religious leader has kept the doors of the church shut or prohibited, then take all steps necessary to remove him from his position and replace him with clergy that is committed to the spiritual well-being of the community. If a business is coercing its employees to vaccinate, stop supporting that business and let the owners or managers of that business know why you no longer are supporting them.
Som 2000 years ago, Rabbi Hillel famously said, “If I am not for myself, who will be for me? If I am only for myself, what am I? And if not now, when?” With all that we have seen in the world, especially in recent months, we must heed Hillel’s advice and act now.
We also need to make extra efforts to financially support those organizations that have been fighting the authoritarianism around us. Advocates For Faith and Freedom has been passionately fighting for our rights in the court system. For United Solutions provides forms and help for religious exemptions from mandatory vaccinations in the workplace, schools, and especially military. Children’s Health Defense has been fighting non-stop to protect our children’s rights to health and well-being. PJ Media is one of the few news sources that is committed to spreading accurate information via media. These and other organizations like them need our help and support, and every dollar makes a difference in the fight against totalitarianism.
Each of us needs to be pro-active in our commerce, voting, financial support, educational choices, and, most importantly, personal behavior. Freedom comes with a price, and sometimes that price is the difficult task of removing despots and replacing them with true leaders through our individual efforts and actions.
There is the oft told story of Benjamin Franklin, who was asked as he left the Constitutional Congress of 1787 if we had a republic or monarchy. His famous reply of “A republic, if you can keep it” has inspired Americans for over 200 years to act with courage and demand integrity from our leaders.
If not now, when? The time has come when we each need to act individually to save our nation from a regime of elitist authoritarians.
My prayer for all of us is that we have the courage to personally act in ways that replace hypocritical leaders with men and women who are committed to freedom, responsibility, and, most importantly, service to others. And in so doing, may we continue to have a republic based in liberty for many more generations.
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