I have always wondered what drives leaders in government to hold on to power. Is it some form of mental illness? A phobia? An addiction? A warped view of religion or politics? Too much testosterone? (It usually is men.) It is probably a combination of all of these. I thought about this recently while watching the images on TV of Iranians being beaten and shot for expressing their opposition to the results of their recent presidential election. What kind of person would order his followers to use any means necessary to stop democracy in action? Two words come to mind: thug and coward.
Just two days before July 4, our Independence Day here in the United States, I am thankful for all of the freedoms we have. It is something we all too often take for granted. In my case, as editor and publisher of Green Lodging News, I am most thankful for the First Amendment to the United States Constitution that guarantees freedom of speech and freedom of the press.
While times may be difficult in the lodging industry today, our problems are nothing when compared to those who face death for saying what they think or feel. On July 4, be thankful for the freedom that you have. And for goodness sake, don't forget those who do not have that same freedom.
No comments:
Post a Comment