Leo's Articles - The Writings and Ideas of Leo Crocker Rogers

Topic: Dailies

2009 Inauguration USA

Leo Crocker Rogers

(Published EVT)

The inauguration of President Barack Obama was an historic event. But I believe our nation, more specifically, you and I, needs to elevate our thinking above the emotional notoriety. The inauguration is important because it is opening a door to the largest challenges this world has ever known. And America stands at the threshold.

How does this opening effect you and me? Not only is the state of Arizona going to receive or not receive funding from the federal government, but so is my city, Mesa. In fact, our President is about to fund the world. While our state desires to continue highway construction and Mesa desires to continue library operations and full school times, the rest of the world desires food and water.

Mr. Obama has monumental decisions before him. He has to decide if our country is safer by warring with those that might attack our shores or is safer by having its own citizens employed. No present bucket of money is large enough to do both.

I mention this because you and I have a responsibility to support of Mr. Obama and our money will not suffice. The question is, "Does our country sweep before someone else’s front door or our own?" The time will come when the term "our home" will truly mean, our country. At that point of revelation, we will discover that we can feed others only if we are fed ourselves. It takes strength to help others.

Mr. Obama is going to learn that his present emotional support is fickle. What Mr. Obama should consider is not trying to run our country by an internet consensus but by the wisdom of prayer.

This is true for the local governments of Mesa, Chandler, Apache Junction, and Gilbert. If we are going to support democracy, we need to expect our leaders to pray, and we need to expect ourselves to pray also. After all, our cities are really us and our country is really our states. As you and I are strong, so will be our cities, states, and country.

Strength comes not from emotional outpouring. Strength comes from principles: economic and moral, and through transparency in governance.

I think of the recent wonder of 155 passengers all living through the US Airways plane crash in the Hudson river on January 15, 2009. I think of this because it just may be that all the emotion of life saving may be clouding the need for a through understanding of why the plane went down. While we laud the pilot, and that for sure is appropriate along with the crew, there is still the issue of why the plane crashed. Perhaps bird hits, perhaps something else. The airline industry needs to know. And more importantly, we need to be sure we let the airline industry know we need to know. When the airline industry loses a plane, they purchase a new one. When my son dies from a crash, there is no repurchase provision.

Finding the reason the plane went down is serious. Supporting our President is serious. Now that the inauguration is past and the emotions are satisfied, we need to pray daily for the wisdom of our President, his staff, and our Congress. But equally important, we need to pray for our family, and our city, county, and state elected officials.

Wisdom starts at home. Our country, states, cities, start with you and me and the way we think and act.

The internet is not a solution to peace just as texting is not a solution to communication. As trite as it may seem, hand holding is. In our towns here in the East Valley, let us support our elected officials and enter into a mode of constructive action. This is the start of our country becoming strong once again – hand holding hand all the way to leaders of countries holding each other’s hands.