While other leaders (and aspiring leaders) talk to *God, wage crusades, marginalise and exclude those on the fringes of consumerist society, our new Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd avoided the photo-ops and spent the morning of 26 December feeding breakfast to the needy at this church run centre
http://www.canberracityuca.org.au/html/early_morning_centre.html.How do I know this? There was no flashy and self-serving news segment or article. No trumpeting it from the rooftops, just a LTE from an officer at the centre that is pasted below.
A little respect for those who give so much
December 27, 2007
JUST as one might question whether a falling tree actually makes a sound if there is no one there to hear it, one may wonder whether a politician smiles if there is no one there to record it. Well, on Boxing Day, at least, one did. While most were sleeping in and trying to recover from the gluttony of Christmas Day, a certain elected official was serving breakfast to the homeless.
It wasn't your typical political event — there was no media and no road show, just a few security personnel and the Prime Minister. He handed out the Boxing Day fare, eggs and bacon — a rare treat — and listened intently and with respect while guests and fellow volunteers told him their life story and their commentary on how he was doing so far.
What struck me is that while we make sport of our political leaders in Australia, and such criticism is healthy in a democracy, we perhaps need to show a little respect where respect is due. Our elected officials are not always self-serving egomaniacs. They have given a large part of their lives to public service — just ask their families. So the next time we're calling Howard a coward or Rudd a dud, maybe it would be wiser to give a little more credit to those who have given so much.
Ashley Arthur, client referral officer, Early Morning Centre, Canberra, on behalf of appreciative volunteers
Printer-friendly format
Email this thread to a friend
Bookmark this thread
(1000+ posts)
Send PM |
Profile |
Ignore
