“Influenced by his deep faith, Olasky’s writings show that values and moral convictions are critical to the strength of a free society and a free people.” -George W. Bush “Olasky establishes the urgent need for role models who stand for the virtues that we want to pass on to our children, including honesty, responsibility, and accountability.”
-U.S. Senator John Ashcroft “Olasky’s book reveals how the character of our leaders has been, and remains, crucial to A… More >>
The American Leadership Tradition: The Inevitable Impact of a Leader’s Faith on a Nation’s Destiny
Tags: American, american leadership, Destiny, faith, free people, george w bush, impact, Inevitable, inevitable impact, john ashcroft, Leaders, Leadership, moral convictions, Nation's, responsibility and accountability, role models, senator john ashcroft, Tradition, virtues
#1 by Anonymous on April 13, 2010 - 12:39 am
The writer is extremely one sided and inaccurate in his portrayal of various presidents’ moral substance. One of the worst portrayals is Jackson. He believes that he was moral because he read the Bible daily and was against big government. He doesn’t believe Jackson’s Indian policy (Trail of Tears among other incidences)should be held against him. In fact, he even puts some of the blame for the Trail of Tears on the Cherokee. The entire book contained similar rewriting of history. Hopefully no one will read his book, and if they do, won’t believe his “history”.
Rating: 1 / 5
#2 by Anonymous on April 13, 2010 - 1:41 am
“What makes a leader truly great?” [reads the back jacket of this book...] “Is it simply a matter of management style or personality?”
No, answers the author — it is simply a matter of being a good Christian. But what is a good Christian? Why, that is simply someone who believes exactly as Marvin Olasky believes. It’s just that simple…
unfortunately, the book also irritated me, and I have never been called a liberal by anyone. While I appreciated Olasky’s assertion that private morals DO matter in public office, I thought his approach was simplistic and narrow. If one takes Olasky’s arguments to their logical conclusion, one would have to say that there aren’t too many people in the history of humankind who have adopted the correct religious view. Olasky’s version of heaven is going to be quite thinly populated I suspect…Jefferson, who was a founding father of our republic and doubled its size while in office, is portrayed as a godless, snobby, scheming, screw-up. Jackson, a violent man who defied the Supreme Court and signed the death warrant for thousands of civilized Cherokees seeking legal redress, is portrayed as your favorite god-fearing uncle. I suppose the battalions of left-wing revisionists brought this sort of book upon themselves in a way, but sometimes I just wish the pendulum could settle in the middle for a while. History should be about getting at the TRUTH, not supporting your pet argument at all costs.
Conclusion: the less thoughtful among the fundamentalist Christians will find fodder for their arguments here and will save having to read all the real history in the bargain. The Clinton-esque liberals will bust veins in the heads over this outrage. The true historians will quietly shake their heads and toss this book aside.
Rating: 2 / 5
#3 by bill_giovinazzo@dg.com on April 13, 2010 - 3:40 am
Olasky may be the editor of the World, but he is either ignorant of history or what it means to be a Christian. Jackson was one of the most imoral presidents in American history. His actions towards Native Americans is deplorable. No man responsible for such atrosities is either a Christian or moral in my book. God save our nation from such leaders. While men such as Clinton are morally reprehensible, they are not responsible for the supression of an entire race of people. Perhaps Christianity and our nation would be beter served by a morality that reflected the teachings of Christ. A morality that values all humanity. Christ died for all mankind, not just white Europeans. Needless to say what Olasky views as Christian and moral is far from the biblical standard.
Rating: 1 / 5
#4 by JOHN GODFREY on April 13, 2010 - 4:17 am
religous zealot with an agenda. This is still pretty entertaining writing. I love revisionist history. Just don’t swallow Mr. Olasky whole. His lack of footnoes or attribution didn’t really occur to me. I listened to the unabridged audio cassette version.
Mr. Olasky seems to suffer from terminal self righteousness & condemns those who have a problem with the seventh commandment: when it suits him. He also has a problem with leaders who don’t genaflect to “God” every time they open their mouths. After the first 1,000 times I heard, “God Bless the United States”, I felt like saying “enough already”. Apparently slavery, genocide of a people (Jackson) & unbridled greed (Rockefeller) are qualities we should admire as long as God is invoked at regular intervals. Washington & Lincoln are good despite the fact that Washington was a slave owner & really did like to dance with the ladies. That’s okay. Both men are national icons. He rips Thomas Jefferson a new one. T.J.also had slaves, but what bothered Mr.Olasky most was he slept with woman. He was single, (widowed actually) unlike Washington. However, Jefferson did not invoke God constantly & probably was an atheist. Grover Cleveland a good man & president, fathered a child out of wedlock. He stays in Olasky good graces by his generously mentioning the almighty in his speeches.
If you can master it, compartmentalization is a very useful skill for leaders who have a weakness for sex. FDR was a moral relativist. JFK is shoveling in the fires of eternal damnation, despite his bad back. Clinton may join him some day if you believe in a physical hell, that it sounds like Mr. Olasky believes in. Where time & money are wasted on moral issues is that Congress dances when ever the media whistles. The impeachment of Bill Clinton was proof of that. More recently the baseball steroids scandal wasted time & money. Terry Schiavo was not allowed to die in dignity. But it is a Republican Congress & President. They probably have nothing better to do.
Rating: 4 / 5
#5 by James E. Gurski on April 13, 2010 - 4:30 am
Olasky’s efforts to review the moral and social characteristics of select American leaders, both political and social is clear in its content and abolute in the documented truth he brings to light. A number of the subjects reviewed clearly illustrate the dilemma of American culture – pragmaticism at the sacrifice of ideals higher and more substantive than the needs of the moment. Judeo-Christian ethic, the core of our history, is brought to light in a very real manner. Political history students of all ages will benefit by his illustrations and analysis.
Rating: 4 / 5