What Our Children Can Learn From The Candidates

An article that outlines the important areas of
nondenominational worship.

As the race for the nomination for president heats up - next Tuesday is "Super Tuesday" - There are some lessons our children can learn from watching the candidates run. They can learn what to do, as well as what not to do.

Some of the good things the candidates have in common include: Getting a good education, playing organized sports, joining groups such as scouts, church youth groups, school clubs, fraternities, and

service clubs, serving in the military (with the exception of our current president), and maintaining a good reputation while building up a strong group of friends and supporters.

Our children must learn that there are no leadership positions open to people without a good education. Learning to read well is of utmost importance. This is one skill we will use for the rest of our lives. As one reading program so aptly puts it, "Learning to read is learning to succeed." It is also a must to have a solid background in math, science, history, and English. A good command of the English language and the ability to write and speak well are essential for highly successful people. If our children aren’t learning what they need to succeed in the public schools, we should either demand more from the schools, or put our children in private schools.

All forty-one of our presidents as well as all of the candidates running for president this year have had, or currently have an affiliation with a church. We still pledge to be "one nation under God" when we say the pledge to the Flag. As such we expect our national leaders to at least know the basics of the Christian religion and the God of Christianity. Our children should be exposed to Sunday school and church as often as we can get them there. The moral and spiritual values they learn in a Bible believing church will equip them to succeed in America.

We have seldom chosen to elect an alcoholic or drug addict to lead our country. While we have not condemned candidates for smoking, we have stayed away from those who have had drinking or drug problems. Our children should learn that their best chance of success is to keep their lives free of these destructive habits.

With the exception of the 1996 election, the moral character of the candidates has usually been an

issue, and it will be again in this year’s election. We prefer to not knowingly elect men who are dishonest, untrustworthy, adulterous, or indiscreet. Our children should learn to take the moral high road, to develop integrity at an early age, and maintain it throughout their lifetime, no matter how difficult that may be.

In most campaigns we see some mudslinging. Candidates have a hard time resisting the urge to call their opponents names, sometimes distorting the truth for the purpose of making themselves look better. We should teach our children to resist such tactics. If we live a life that is honest and upright, always doing the best we know how to do, we should be able to succeed on our own merits, rather than by having to tear down other people.

Finally, our children should see that, out of 270 million people in the United States, only a handful ever run for President, and even fewer ever become President of the United States. Our children should learn that it is just as honorable to be the best person they can be in whatever they do in their lives, as it is to be the President of the United States. If our country is going to ever be truly great, it will only happen when her citizens are great at whatever they attempt to do. May we never allow ourselves or our children to settle for mediocrity, when they can strive for greatness. May we always be our best at whatever we do.

Author: By Martin Micale
Date: 3/5/00