Zach+P’s+Final+AmEx+2014+Speech

=Title of Speech= George Washington to Miley Cyrus

=Text of Speech=


 * In your time of need, in your time of desperation, when your back is up against the wall, who do you turn to when you don’t know which direction is best? **


 * Who are your leaders? Who are your real life super-heroes? Whose decisions do you respect, and therefore imitate? Who do you look up to and say, “I want to be like them when I grow up!,” no matter how old you are? **


 * Why? Why do you respect, admire, and use these people for inspiration and as direction in your lives? What defines an ideal leader? **


 * I submit to you today, that American leadership is experiencing a drastic decline. The overall quality, integrity, honor, and ability of our leaders has deteriorated, almost to the point of no recovery. **


 * Think about it. We’ve gone from cultural leaders like George Washington, to Abraham Lincoln, to Teddy Roosevelt, and now we’ve got Miley Cyrus. We’ve gone from Abraham Lincoln, to richard Nixon. We’ve gone from Billy Sunday, to Barry Bonds. We’ve gone from finding inspiration in Neil Armstrong, to Lance Armstrong. **


 * During the roaring ‘20’s, mainstream America experienced a monumental shift, with the inventions of the car, the radio, and later on, the TV. We shifted from finding leadership in presidents, preachers, and intellectuals, to looking for direction in pop-culture icons and professional sports figures. **


 * We started off with jazz: the Duke of Ellington. Okay, that’s fine. I can dig. Then there was the man himself, Sinatra. Then, Marilyn Monroe, then Elvis. Not that any of these people were necessarily bad, but should they be looked to as leaders in society? We started to make our leaders into those who gained our respect through their musical talent, and physical ability, rather than those who devoted their lives to solving social issues, political crisis’, creating peace, advancing science, medical breakthroughs, and the betterment of society as a whole. **


 * I warn you AMEX class, choose your leaders carefully, and with wisdom. They influence you more than you may know. **


 * Recently, I have been forced to contemplate which college I’m going to attend. This decision totally sucks by the way. Personally, I have no idea where I’m going to go at all. So naturally, I created a list of colleges and universities that seemed appealing to me. Right off the bat, without any research, I came up with: UCLA, UC Berkeley, The Master’s College, Biola, USC, Northwestern, Princeton, and the University of Florida. **


 * Probably one the most diverse, and most random lists you’ve ever heard. there are 2 obscure Christian colleges in LA, 2 U.C’s, a private elitist school in the heart of LA, some random school in the middle of Chicago, an Ivy League institution of high society in New Jersey, a state I’ve never even stepped foot into, and why the heck am I even considering any opportunity in freaking Florida? **


 * Quickly I came to realize that I had subconsciously picked my college choices based on people whom I looked up to. Biola and Master’s? Both my parents, and family freinds have, or are attending both schools. Northwestern? University of florida? i realized that’s where a bunch of anchors and radio show hosts from ESPN went to college. (One of my dream jobs is to work at ESPN, so I naturally look up to those people as well.) USC? When I was a kid, was obsessed with Reggie Bush, practicing and perfecting his cutback move to perfection. Mr. Geib went to UCLA, and I actually realized I wanted to go to Berkeley and Princeton, because two of my favorite fictional TV characters went to the schools. **


 * The point is, the people we look up to in our lives really do influence us more than we can imagine, whether we know it or not. **


 * But how can we discern who is best suited to lead a movement, a culture, a nation? **


 * First off, be cautious not to fall into the trap of considering a great leader: strong and effective. Stalin was effective. Hitler was effective. Being strong and effective are major and undeniably critical aspects of leadership, and yet, they are still just ingredients in the ultimate recipe. **


 * A great leader leads with integrity, accomplishing its goals with honor, transparency and wisdom, not by “any means necessary.” A great leader leads with quality character, setting an example for it’s followers to resemble. A great leader obtains its power through the will of the people, not through it’s will to rule the people. A great leader could be considered one with the efficiency of James K. Polk, the political skill of Abe Lincoln, the character of Jimmy Carter, the presence of George Washington, the perseverance of Franklin D. Roosevelt, the enthusiasm of Teddy Roosevelt, and the passion of Woodrow Wilson. A great leader is one with patience and steadiness of Martin Luther King Jr. **


 * A great leader isn’t someone who swings back and forth on wrecking balls, nor should someone be considered a leader because they produce “great music”. **


 * Above all these attributes of a leader, a great leader can be proved by the mentality of the followers. Is the mentality one of rebellion, counter-culture, and unrest? Or are the people content, free of corruption, and united, striving for the same goals as a collective unit? **


 * Like Julius said, “Attitude reflects leadership, captain.” **


 * In the America I grow old in, I wish to see leadership that doesn’t end in the title, GAGA, or rap about sweat dropping off balls. I wish to see leaders of integrity, solid character, honor, and understanding. I wish to see leadership that leads by example, with moral excellence, and leadership that is effective too. **

=**Cite Your Sources**= -Remember the Titans -My American History and current events knowledge.