69 million page views

Imperfect People

Reader comment on item: Did Binyamin Netanyahu Predict 9/11?
in response to reader comment: Reply to Fay Voshell

Submitted by Fay Voshell (United States), Mar 18, 2009 at 09:54

Thanks, Jennifer.

One of the most pernicious and insidious enemies of good leaders is the demand for perfect leaders.

I call such demands for Messianic righteousness the "politics of perfection." Very dangerous thinking! The worst leaders in history have been those who see themselves as Messianic saviors without flaws and without accountability.

The political climate is extremely vicious, unyielding and unforgiving of the human condition. "What do you believe and where do you stand?" is not the first question asked. The first question asked is "What things have you done wrong?" The relentless insistance on perfection is one reason why we have such weak leaders, as those with any decency, capacity for self-examination and common sense avoid the political scene altogether, leaving the stage to narcissitic scoundrels who refuse to examine their lives or sins--former Illinois governor Blagoyavich being a perfect case example.

Most decent people, knowing they are flawed, avoid the political scene, as they know they will be continually assaulted and possibly destroyed as every conceivable past sin, real or imagined, is paraded before the public.

I don't have exhaustive information about Benjamin Netanyahu, but from what I can discern, at least he appears unwilling to allow the piecemeal destruction of Israel the nation from within and from without. That is a good thing regardless of his imperfections and seemingly contradictory behavior.

Like all the rest of us, Netanyahu falls short. But the fact each one of us falls short of the ideals and moral standards we profess does not vitiate the ideals and moral standards themselves. Moral standards exist apart from our flaws and act as a continual encouragement to pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off and carry on the fight for truth and justice.

Fay Voshell

Submitting....

Note: Opinions expressed in comments are those of the authors alone and not necessarily those of Daniel Pipes. Original writing only, please. Comments are screened and in some cases edited before posting. Reasoned disagreement is welcome but not comments that are scurrilous, off-topic, commercial, disparaging religions, or otherwise inappropriate. For complete regulations, see the "Guidelines for Reader Comments".

Submit a comment on this item

<< Previous Comment      Next Comment >>

Reader comments (9) on this item

Title Commenter Date Thread
Even if he did predict 9/11 six years before it happened [124 words]SullyMar 23, 2009 02:10152617
1Not only did he predict [15 words]Buzz KMar 20, 2009 12:54152533
So What?! [32 words]FulghumInkMar 17, 2009 00:16152386
1995 prediction based on 1993 bombing of WTC [42 words]Edward in NYCMar 15, 2009 07:47152310
1To be honest, I voted for the Likud this time too [175 words]Ken BesigMar 12, 2009 11:32152163
Netanyahu's character [127 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
Fay VoshellMar 10, 2009 10:19152022
Reply to Fay Voshell [11 words]jennifer solisMar 13, 2009 18:05152022
Imperfect People [290 words]Fay VoshellMar 18, 2009 09:54152022
Reply to Daniel Pipes [356 words]Fay VoshellMar 23, 2009 09:43152022

Follow Daniel Pipes

Facebook   Twitter   RSS   Join Mailing List

All materials by Daniel Pipes on this site: © 1968-2024 Daniel Pipes. daniel.pipes@gmail.com and @DanielPipes

Support Daniel Pipes' work with a tax-deductible donation to the Middle East Forum.Daniel J. Pipes

(The MEF is a publicly supported, nonprofit organization under section 501(c)3 of the Internal Revenue Code.

Contributions are tax deductible to the full extent allowed by law. Tax-ID 23-774-9796, approved Apr. 27, 1998.

For more information, view our IRS letter of determination.)