Say It Like You Mean It Dammit

In a recent Globe and Mail piece, Ian Brown wrote about public speaking and political rhetoric and reflects, mainly, that well, the speech-making of our modern-day leaders sucks. Brown quotes one of Winston Churchill's powerful rallying cries:

"You ask, 'What is our policy?' I will say: it is to wage war, by sea, land, and air, with all our might and with all the strength that god can give us; to wage war against a monstrous tyranny never surpassed in the dark and lamentable catalogue of human crime. That is our policy. You ask, 'What is our aim?' I can answer in one word: victory; victory at all costs, victory in spite of all terror, victory, however long and hard the road may be; for without victory, there is no survival. "

I imagine Brown quoted this in its entirety for the same reason I have. Churchill's words are unequivocal. They are bare. They are terrifying. They are truthful. They don't give one fig what spin the newspaper might put on them.

Brown, as my husband did over coffee this morning, conceded that Churchill had a war as a dramatic, galvanizing backdrop. Brown and my husband also suggested that we don't trust our leaders anymore, so instead of being galvanized into action by their words, we roll our eyes and say, whatever.

Blame Wikileaks; blame the media. Hell, blame the economy, the schools, the parents, the weather - whatever floats your boat. Brown writes that President Obama is one of the better speakers on Earth - but we are not receptive to [his rhetoric]. I disagree. A great speaker creates a receptive audience. Our leaders and speakers today make tepid calls to action, if at all. In trying to predict what the spinners might spin, all content is stripped of substance.

There doesn't have to be a war going on to be passionate about something, to be brutally truthful about something, to inspire your people into action. As it happens, there are many current, ongoing conflicts around the world that fall under the banner of "monstrous tyranny". As it happens, there is no shortage of difficult issues or problems that are not scattered in a minefield of political correctness.

Leaders, shout clean and clear your policies on human kindness, on work ethic, on common human values and concerns.

Imagine bellowing:

"You ask, 'What is our policy?' I will say: it is to wage war on child poverty with all our might and with all the strength that our faith can give us; to wage war against a monstrous tyranny never surpassed in the dark and lamentable catalogue of human crime. That is our policy. " You ask, 'What is our aim?' I can answer in one word: victory; victory at all costs, victory in spite of all terror, victory, however long and hard the road may be; for without victory, there is no survival. "

You are not just our governors, you are our leaders - inspire us. Scare us a little. Galvanize us.

Let the media muddy the waters if they wish but it's your job to say it like it is and say it like you mean it. Do your job, dammit.

	Muse - Uprising .mp3
	Found at bee mp3 search engine