Power of Our Example

Awakening to vision and audio

I was up last night as I always sleep with my television on, my dreams of sound and imagination just eases into the reality of vision and audio with the hope I have not arrived from a terrifying Steven King saga.

I prefer to sleep with news channels on rather than music channels, I do however remember a time I had the gospels playing back during me sleep, it sometimes made those stories and events alive and vivid.

Anyway, I got up to CNN’s coverage of the Democratic National Convention when Bill Clinton was about to speak.

Taking time to accept Obama

So much had been made of Bill Clinton being sour about Hillary losing to Barack Obama, he has been one of the most ardent supporters of his wife’s bid for the nomination and who can blame him?

It also took time for me to realise that Obama was at the head of a movement whose time had come rather than a motivator for a campaign to fulfil an ambition.

As Bill Clinton came on stage, one could see that that he was still well liked, there was lots of adulation and the ovation went on for minutes that he had to entreat the people to stop and sit down for business to continue.

The talk that matters

He finally got to say his bit and it was vintage Bill, the Democratic Party today appears to be blessed with at least three very prominent people who have found the key to the use of words to inspire people, the other two being Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama.

Bill Clinton successfully linked the relationship between a strong America at home and a secure America abroad as he forcefully backed the candidacy of Barack Obama for President.

I have the feeling the Hillary Clinton might not make another run for the White House if Barack Obama takes the Presidency in November.

Example of our Power

However, what I found the most striking about Bill Clinton’s speech was when he said “People the world over have always been more impressed by the power of our example than by the example of our power.” [1]

This subtle use of and juxtaposition of words speaks volumes, just as certain people would attempt to view the failings of Bill Clinton as a poor example of moral rectitude, the example of power he has portrayed has been for the good in many places.

The judgement call for Americans is the preparation for posterity and the beginning of history – it would ask if America would be viewed as projecting the power of example as to have become a civilisation in its own right or whether the example of power has made them no better than vandals, Barbarians and plunderers whose self-interest left the world in great turmoil as we have today.

Under siege or higher purpose

The weight of history need not fall on the shoulders of Americans today but the future that begins today provides a path that can make a whole difference towards the troubles America faces today – Where “the American dream is under siege at home, and America's leadership in the world has been weakened.”

Shall they and the American dream remain under siege with a continuation of the policies of the last 8 years or shall America’s leadership in the world be strengthened with the advent of a man who “has a remarkable ability to inspire people, to raise our hopes and rally us to high purpose?”

A place called hope

That man was Bill Clinton 16 years ago and he has passed the baton today to Barack Obama; the alternative, for all intents and purposes falls far short of that higher purpose because the passage of time seems to have vindicated the measured and insightful views of Barack Obama than the belligerent machismo of John McCain on the war in Iraq, the timetabled withdrawal of troops and talking with Iran.

Being the most powerful country in the world, the responsibility that comes with that position is self-evident – the example of power has won wars but we are still in battles and the power of example has saved lives and won victories in the most intractable situations.

We have Bill Clinton to thank for articulating in words the clear purpose of the day and the duty Americans have to assure and safeguard their future and that of those after them by electing a man that embodies our hopes rather than one that accentuates our fears.

Source

[1] Democratic Convention, Bill Clinton Speech Transcript - Democratic National Convention Speech Transcripts - Zimbio:

Lies - Between human frailty and the law

Lying to protect - the unrecognised dilemma

Being economical with the truth or lying is something too many human beings do for one reason or another - many do think they can get away with it, but when they get caught it is never a good end result.

In the best of situations, the truth - honesty being the best policy - can come with some pain but your integrity, honour and respect is maintained, in the long run there might even be a reward.

When it comes to great men with much to protect, a reputation, a stake, a relationship or some circumstance, much as the luxury of being an observer makes one entreat the principal to come clean and be over with it, there are some extenuating circumstances that might prevent them for speaking the truth.

Sometimes, there is conflict, when dealing with the law; the truth is expected regardless of the situation, but when the issue touches on the very personal which could bring shame - the human dimension is lost whilst they who have never sinned rile the principal to derision.

This is no advocacy for lying, but put yourself in these two men's shoes.

Truth in a dress

Just about 10 years ago, a man of great importance in a long-term relationship coming to 20 years had been involved in some infidelity with an intern in his office. This improper relationship became the means by which he was assailed by his political enemies when he was asked if he had any sexual liaisons with the intern.

Now, an improper sexual relationship is not something you go and tell your wife like you just made a fantastic deal, in fact, the likelihood for any man caught in that kind of situation would be to completely deny that situation till the accuser can produce incontrovertible evidence, at which point, disgrace, dishonour and disdain are heaped on the principal as he apologises for a lying.

In this case, it was the sperm stains on the dress that caught him out, one could almost say that it as all planted to ensure that he was caught in a desperate situation. The man was Bill Clinton, the lady Monica Lewinsky and prosecutor Kenneth Stark - Mr. Clinton is the man making history, the other two who sought to bring him down do not have footnotes on those esteemed pages.

Mr. Clinton definitely should not have lied but if anyone asked you in his circumstances about an improper sexual liaison would have owned up in public?

Where did you meet?

More recently, a well-respected businessman had a relationship with a young Canadian that lasted four years. There is no doubt that the young man would have in that time grown accustomed to the style and status of his amazingly well-to-do spouse.

When the relationship ended, it would appear the wealthy businessman cut his ex-lover adrift, but having not made sufficient contingency for the welfare of his "discard", the young man in dire straits after entreaties to his ex-lover decided to monetarise the information about this relationship by selling his story to the tabloids.

Now, there was nothing improper about the relationship though it was homosexual and private, the business man being a closet gay man.

What amazes me about this whole situation is how the businessman's support infrastructure which usually is quite solid and disciplined allowed the situation to degenerate into that what we have now.

In trying to prevent the young man from selling the story, the businessman went to court and the question about where they met arose. Obviously, any respectable person would like to say they met their partner in some romantic setting; it has only become socially acceptable to say you met on some online dating site.

The businessman with a career and reputation to protect said he met the young man in Battersea - probably a gay cruising area - innocuous, but plausible, however, the young man who had nothing to lose said different; he met the businessman on a gay escort website.

Oops! Someone has been caught in a lie; the businessman on court documents - his undoing and this disgrace as this has now been exposed - a resignation with a loss of probably £20 million in payments where probably £1 million in a blackmail payment might just have kept this under wraps for another few years.

The businessman is Lord Browne who resigned as the Group CEO of BP yesterday, the young escort, Jeff Chevalier - time will tell how history would play this out. Lord Browne however could face perjury charges.

If asked and indeed you met your partner as a Pretty Woman, gigolo, on an escort website or some place of ill repute tell anyone that is where you met?

The law deals stridently with perjury, however, there has to be mitigating circumstances when it comes to what might be lies of passion.