Prioritization, Empathy ,and the quest for sound leaders

It is interesting to see how sometimes issues can be jolted into the limelight by a simple comment or actions of a prominent figure, while others languish. Makes you wonder what really the driving force is. Is it you ask the issue itself, whose actions brought it to the fore, or the medium. Let’s for example take issues such as immigration, crime, religion, race, or social class. These are three hot button issues that have received some level of attention throughout the media, but not with the special focus that is often required to achieve any reasonable solution. The discourse tend to be elevated somewhat especially come election time and especially a Presidential one. As a political junkie myself I usually have my antenna up for such type of attention actions. I was not disappointed.

Immigration and the need for reform was the first issue that got some attention outside of the usual CNN’s Lou Dobbs obsessions, and pretense at outrage about border patrols, illegal nannies and Militia men AKA minutemen rights to shoot and kill anyone that tries to enter the USA outside the Canadian frontier. 43 year old eligible bachelor, New York Congressman Anthony Weiner suggested the need for new legislation for 1000 ailing clothing industry. [1]Apparently demands far outstrip the 165,000 available slots, but think how much attention immigration could now achieve because of personal yet important action by a Congressman.

I am sure that many of you cannot remember the last speech political leader made in a Church in the past 50 years of Presidential elections. Guess what, Barrack Obama is about to change that. He took a crack at AWOL fathers that abandoned their kids to moms and grandmothers in a sermon at his new Church on of all day -Fathers day. Can you imagine that in one swoop this 47 year old Senator that last saw his father at the age of two could highlight something that many of us suspected but lacked the courage to say? One of biggest crisis in the country and perhaps the world at large are absent fathers. I have always suspected that the cause of the high crimes statistics can directly linked to absenteeism by many of our black fathers , -or for all races as the problem is not limited to only one demographic.

Now I am almost sure that more American would be happy to see more social scientist enter the country to focus on pressing social issues of the day agree? I am a bit bias to sociologist and political scientist. Why should all the techno geeks, entertainers , sports figures , engineers ,and business men have all the fun.It is evident that the media has not done a credible job of educating the public as to the immigration crisis beyond sound bites by self serving politicians. Few know the history of immigration, and how it was always linked to the economic needs of the society starting from the end of slavery. Fewer understand what outsourcing, globalization mean to them except that their jobs are gone and a child in Sri Lanka is sewing their clothes, an Indian is processing their tax return or trouble shooting their computer while pretending to live in Utah, and a Chinese man is working for three dollars per year to manufacture his car.

I say bring it on Obama and Wiener -the children of immigrants for their efforts at drawing attention to matters of great importance. Some might be tempted to question their individual motives. In the case of Obama it could be to get the ultra religious votes that Mc. Cain cannot attract, or even the Clinton female voters. In the case of Weiner his quest to finally acquire a grateful wife in the way another famous New Yorker have done so skillfully over the years through the purchase of the Miss Universe, Miss America and Miss Teen America franchises. Way to go Rep Weiner. America will be the beneficiary after the power moves by our astute politicians.