I am appalled at the extent of the moral degeneracy of those who presume to lead us. I refer to the raw, debased language used by the main speaker on national media at a meeting on Friday night in reference to another candidate's so-called "disability." I know politics is a dirty game but I expected that would-be leaders would be sufficiently endowed so as to be aware of the bounds of discretion in dealing with opponents. And a female one at that!
Such sensitivity makes us human, even civilised. But for some leaders "power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely." They lose their humanity in their unbridled greed for power. Along similar lines, a tubby little fellow on the same platform, with pretensions of assuming the leadership of the party, predictably mimicked his leader and failed to see the magnanimity, albeit in politics, of the member for Siparia in welcoming her colleagues to her constituency.
Of course she was playing the politics to gauge the reaction of people in the lion's den and not only did she pass the test with flying colours, but did so with the suave, finesse and delicacy of a great leader in the making. Such fortitude and confidence are in stark contrast to her opponent who refused to take questions from listeners on a previous TV pro- gramme.
And even many in the crowd applauded her gesture. But of course my chubby little friend in his "political smallness," much like his leader, proceeded to denigrate her and score cheap points with the crowd. And these are the people who have pretensions of leading. Heaven help us!
Dr Errol Benjamin
Via e-mail