Fav political leader?

[Randy]

Do you have a favorite political leader? What did they do?

 

[PGen98]

Winston Churchill. Everyone loathed his appointment, but he led the nation through unfathomably bad times.

 

[Scarlet Rose]

Winston Churchill. Everyone loathed his appointment, but he led the nation through unfathomably bad times.

I have to admit to being quite surprised by your pick. I am not used to hearing about him for positive reasons. I am much more familiar with their racism and relationship to colonialism.

 

[PGen98]

I have to admit to being quite surprised by your pick. I am not used to hearing about him for positive reasons. I am much more familiar with their racism and relationship to colonialism.

I don't admire the bad, but I respect the good. I suppose I really should overlook him, because his views on those issues were quite horrible. Perhaps growing up with the romanticized version of him and what he did in the war times has tinted my view of him.

 

[Webster]

Winston Churchill. Everyone loathed his appointment, but he led the nation through unfathomably bad times.

Churchill was a good man for his time; of course, looking at him from today's time.... *shrugs*
That said, good choice.

 

[Scarlet Rose]

I don't admire the bad, but I respect the good. I suppose I really should overlook him, because his views on those issues were quite horrible. Perhaps growing up with the romanticized version of him and what he did in the war times has tinted my view of him.

I think that is sadly all too common with a lot of states in general and especially those which were involved in colonialism. As a settler colony we have our mythologized history which also whitewashes the impacts of colonialism here in New Zealand. Political or military figures who have been idolized in spite of the role they played in history.

 

[Scarlet Rose]

Churchill was a good man for his time; of course, looking at him from today's time.... *shrugs*
That said, good choice.

Was he even a good man for his time though? There have been a fair amount of critiques now about his racist views and policies that he implemented. Especially concerning the lots of those living in the colonies.

 

[Webster]

As a settler colony we have our mythologized history which also whitewashes the impacts of colonialism here in New Zealand. Political or military figures who have been idolized in spite of the role they played in history.

Just look at America and how we've struggled and tried acknowledging past wrongs....

 

[Scarlet Rose]

Just look at America and how we've struggled and tried acknowledging past wrongs....

The denial of history over there is even worse than it is here. We have had recent amendments to our history curriculum for instance which will be addressing the negative aspects of our history more sincerely. Whereas over there it has been the trend to make that teaching of history illegal. Not that we haven't had resistance to that teaching of history here. Until very recently, less than 5 years ago, there were still schools that wouldn't even look at that part of our history. Instead choosing to focus on the injustices committed in say Australia against their Indigenous people.

 

[Webster]

Whereas over there it has been the trend to make that teaching of history illegal.

Remind me to tell you about what happened when a Tennessee school taught about the integration of schools during the Civil Rights Movement; let's just say the people in that community were not happy....

 

[WHO IS SERAFIN]

I’ve always had a fondness for John Adams. A good man all around that was a bit temperamental, stubborn and rash that helped create a country.

 

[Webster]

I’ve always had a fondness for John Adams. A good man all around that was a bit temperamental, stubborn and rash that helped create a country.

Along those lines.....

Overmountain Victory Trail Association - "The Story"

During the first half of the conflict few pioneers of the Appalachian Frontier took part in the American Revolution. Indeed, the struggle of the thirteen colonies for independence was almost as remote to the frontiersmen as if it were taking place on another planet. Yet in conquering the wilderness they were unconsciously helping to build that political edifice for which their warring brothers to the east were laying the foundation.

The conquests of the pioneers resulted in the establishment of new commonwealths which, united to the thirteen original colonies, were to advance the borders of the United States to the Mississippi River and eventually even beyond it. While the settlers were jealous of their local independence, as Americans they felt drawn to a larger commonality for whose cause they were always ready to fight. And now they were about to be given an opportunity to come to the relief of their brothers on the seaboard and, in so doing, to strike a telling blow in the advance of American nationality...

Leaders included: Charles McDowell, John Sevier, Isaac Shelby, William Campbell, Thomas Lytle and William Caldwell

They're not quite as well-known as other revolutionaries but without the Overmountain Men and their victory at Kings Mountain, the American Revolution might've turned out differently...

 

[Nebulous's iconNebulous]

George Washington because he was the first president and he's on the dollar bill

 

[MamaFrankie]

Margaret Thatcher.