“Jake” — A Leadership Frame of Reference

As July 4th nears, I always think of U.S. Cong. J.J. “Jake” Pickle. Not the least reason being this lucky photo I got at an Austin neighborhood July 4th parade. All who knew him miss our too-long departed local hero“Jake”…a role model for responsible public service. We experience the current pathetic lack of effective leadership at State and National levels, long for better, and aspire to regain worthy governance in the upcoming election. Until then, we just have to appreciate the memory of the many men and women like “Jake” who served for the right reasons and honorably represented the best interests of their constituents. There are a few in office today, but not enough to make a substantive difference. Yet!

Our Tragic Leadership Deficit

We let down our We The People guard, and enabled the election of what is proving to be the worst man and worst “president” in modern U.S. history. And many fawning acolyte governors, such as those in Arizona, Florida and TEXAS have mimicked his inability to responsibly serve. The dangerously inadequate response to the Covid-19 crisis is a prime example of the consequences of poorly vetting our political leaders. We all suffer when we enable (by fault or default) ideological and partisan extremists to hold offices of great responsibility. This massive teachable moment is hopefully priming us to do better. I’m confident it is.

Our Coronavirus Response Is Up To Us

We’re becoming painfully aware that our Covid response is greatly up to us. We would have expected and hoped for a coordinated government response at Federal and State levels, but we’re realizing that we’re on our own. What a wrenching awakening! And what a great motivation to honor our opportunity with the ballot box. No, it’s up to us, in conjunction with our City and County leaders and medical community. We’re way behind, but have the opportunity and responsibility to play aggressive catch-up. So, what do we do?

We Become Texas Star Role Models

We MUST wear masks, practice social distancing, wash our hands frequently and be role models for others. We’re experiencing the tragic results of reopening too soon, with little attention paid to reopening responsibly. Media images tell the story. Too many thoughtless folks thinking they’re invincible, neglecting all precautions and sparking a resurgence of new infections, hospitalizations and deaths.

The overwhelming number of new carriers are between the ages of 20 & 40, hitting the bars, beaches and large gatherings. Most are fearless as to their ability to survive the illness, but are oblivious to the danger of infecting parents, grandparents, other friends and strangers. WE must up our game in not only modeling, but aggressively communicating, the importance of personal responsibility in any setting with family, friends, neighbors and colleagues who’re not cooperating with community standards. Especially our young people. Our lives depend on it. NOW! Join me in being a Texas Star Role Model. We’ll all win in the process, and perhaps save some lives. MASK UP, TEXAS!