To most Americans, the sky is blue, the Brooklyn Bridge is not for sale, and we learn the ABC’s in pre-school. Similarly, The West is at war with radical Islam, and New York’s chief executive must stand with and support the New York City Police Department. Unfortunately, President Obama and New York City Mayor DeBlasio live in an alternative universe than the rest of us. Beta-males Obama and De Blasio are respectively governing our country and America’s largest city during trying times; and they are failing miserably during this deep and dangerous crisis.
Leadership demands assertiveness, immediacy, and direction. Yet, in the midst of clear danger, these leaders are oblivious to the dangers facing us today. They also both refuse to acknowledge the mistakes they have made; Obama fails to acknowledge radical Islam, and de Blasio refuses to face the fact that he has abandoned and maligned the men and women at the front lines of the people’s defense: New York Police Department.
These intelligent – yet overly sensitive – men are allowing their personal ideologies to govern, and are not leading in a world that demands strength.
Consider the breathtaking historic rally this morning when 40 world leaders, walked arm in arm through the streets of Paris to rally for freedom, and to honor the 17 victims of recent terror attacks in France. While French President Francois Hollande proclaimed “Today, Paris is the capital of the world” he was surrounded by leaders including Germany Chancellor Angela Merkel, Italy’s Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy, King Abdullah of Jordan and others. America was noticeably absent at the rally. Even liberal CNN host Fareed Zakaria declared, “this is what God invented Vice Presidents for,” suggesting that if the President was unable to be there, Vice President Jose Biden or even Secretary of State John Kerry needed to be there. If America is the leader of the free world, American leadership must stand front and center with their allies against terrorism. Yet, attending today’s rally would have required admitting that radical Islam must be confronted – something this White House has been reluctant to do.
A true leader would act instantly and convene an emergency conference now, rather than wait for world opinion to shift, other leaders’ to make plans, or heaven forbid, more attacks. Instead, Obama’s beta male White House announced plans to hold a conference on February 18 to counter “violent extremism.” This conference sounds like something Ivy League Universities like Columbia should host – grouping together some vague form of “extremism.” Who are these extremists who slaughter fearlessly. Are we talking about Hasidic Jews? Midwesterners with guns? Falun Gong? Or is it elements of the “religion of peace” which must be addressed? What happens between now and February 18th Mr. President? Should the world wait for your position paper to act?
We see a very similar trait in the lack of leadership, assertiveness and understanding the importance of time when it comes to New York Mayor Bill de Blasio. While the New York Police Department is demoralized and its members under attack, de Blasio focuses on banning Styrofoam. The Chief Executive of our City after months of strife between his administration and the greatest police department in the world has made no conciliatory moves or actions towards them; in fact, he is maintaining his indifferent stance. With the police themselves not feeling safe on the streets, de Blasio continues to escalate his negative rhetoric. While multiple politicians and leaders have called upon him to apologize, he is defiant in his refusal. Rather than act as the leader of the entire city, he operates as a small-minded politician. He condemns police who act out of anger – and represent their constituencies – remaining oblivious to the depth of frustration within the Police Department and of the citizens of this city.
How hard would it be for Mayor de Blasio to spend a night in a squad car on patrol as a positive gesture that demonstrates an appreciation for the perils New York’s finest face? Instead of meeting with police officials, he meets with protestors. He reappointed a judge whose decisions have been opposed to maintaining law and order. De Blasio’s continued defiance is a danger. He must take steps to make our police feel secure, which in turn makes our citizens feel safer.
Investors Business Daily noted this weekend that De Blasio seems “bent on escalating the war with the NYPD.” As they write, “The cops are turning their backs on de Blasio because he turned his back on them. Like no other mayor before him, he has thoroughly lost the respect of the police and is at risk of losing control of the Big Apple.” In a world of extremist violence, BDB’s ego trumps the importance of a safe and secure city.
Obama and de Blasio are smart men, but are scarily oblivious to that which is obvious to so many of us. Their perception of reality may not change – but leadership demands they see the reality of the masses. Leadership demands insight and maturity that neither has demonstrated. Neither has put aside ego to admit they are wrong, bruised sensibilities, or their personal ideologies to rise above politics and move towards strength. Human beings make mistakes. Even the greatest men and women of the world have made mistakes, but the mark of leadership is to admit mistake, face difficulties and move ahead.
While the rest of the free world stood up today against Islamic terror, America was absent. President Obama must stand up and face the music that the danger is radical Islam and must align with other Western leaders against terror. Act. The Mayor must turn towards the NYPD and let them see he is not an enemy. He must stand with the police department.
Neither of these decisions are hard ones. These men must lead rather than dig their heels in hoping the issues pass them by or others lead. Sadly, neither gets it, and both appear hopelessly stuck. Chief executives know the power of immediacy, of decision-making, and of compromise. These characteristics are lost on Obama and de Blasio.
If they cannot confront their demons, they are keeping the safety of their citizens in serious jeopardy. We need true leadership. God Bless America.
Ronn Torossian is a life-long New Yorker. He is an entrepreneur and author – who is concerned about the future of our city and country.
We agree on the main point that “someone in the highest echelons” should have been there. The fact that no one from “the highest echelons” went, indicates that the reason had nothing to do with the president’s security detail. There was a total disregard for the event. It also reaffirms the contention that the president lacks interest in all things terrorist related…
I’ll go fox and drudge for broader news.. keep col chabad/crown heights related news. these re-posts – especially when they are not relevant – cheapen your news service TY
JE SUIS A RIGHT CHARLIE
Really, that’s half the problem: no other head of state or head of government – even ones who are pretty major targets (consider Netanyahu, for one) – has an entourage anywhere near the size of POTUS’s. Frankly, it’s more reminiscent of a third-world dictator who likes to show off his power and prestige.
Be that as it may, though, it probably is just as well that Obama didn’t go… he would have, as he’s so often done in the past, made the event all about himself.
Look up secret service security procedures and be the judge on whether it would’ve disturbed or not!! The American president is clearly a bigger target than any of the others you mentioned so there is a clear difference between them. I agree that someone in the highest echelons of the white house should have went…at the very least Holder who was there at the time. My main point was that it was not unreasonable and perhaps even justifiable for the president not to go.
See, here’s the thing. The “chaos in the Middle East” of which you speak – the “Arab Spring,” the rise of ISIS, etc. – happened beginning in 2011. Not in 2001. And the reason is due to the American occupation of Afghanistan and then Iraq – as Bush put it at the time, we’re fighting them there so that we don’t have to fight them here. Only when a certain succeeding president decided that “war is not the answer” and that the troops have to be drawn down and eventually withdrawn, did that expose the United States as a paper… Read more »
That’s what this was about? The president’s security would have “disturbed the event”? It was secure enough for Merkel, Cameron, Hollande even Natanyahu. Why wouldn’t it be secure enough for Obama? Also notice that the blogger (as most everyone else) suggested that he should have at least sent Joe Biden. Certainly it was secure enough for him…
Finally, why would you think the president would be at risk? There really is no enemy anyway. Right? Who was he afraid of?
Truth is it was a miscalculation. The White House already admitted it and so should you.
He sent Abbas to represent him
I read and re-read your post trying to find one thing that makes sense. Couldn’t find anything. September 11 did happen under Bush. Stuff happens! The question is how do you respond? Bush spent the next 7 1/2 years doing everything in his power to protect Americans and the free world at large. This clown is doing exactly the opposite. He won’t even recognize that we have an enemy. From Sep 12, 2001 until Bush left office, the world was a whole lot safer than it is now.
The French wanted world LEADERS to attend…
This article is so trivial. What has journalism become?
Our President supports terrorism…
Actually it was quite approptiate for him not to show up. As mentioned in the press an American president at the head of a million man march isn’t an easy situation to secure and he would’ve disturbed the event more than help it. The real question is why Eric Holder who was actually in France didn’t go!!!
Did any American Jewish leaders rise to the occasion to make a stand and take action?
Where were those security minded Republicans? Not a single candidate who is running for President ion 2016, not a single leader from the Congress, not a single leader from the Senate, aren’t the Republicans in charge now, don’t they need to show that they care about security so that we can trust them with the next election?
Of course, who cares about Jews, and who wants to aggravate the Muslim radicals?
Da– shame on all……
Not sure why you think true leadership is Obama showing up at rallies, or DeBlasio spending a night in a squad car. If I was a leader I wouldn’t do all that PC stuff.
The author is partly right, in that yes, Obama should have been there, yes, Obama refuses to admit that the terrorism is Islamist, yes, de Blasio has demoralized the NYPD and put NY at risk of degenerating back into the chaos that prevailed 30-40 years ago. BUT including the insulting language “beta male” is not going to get either of them to change their ways, if anything they are likely PROUD not to to be “alpha males”, that is too “last century” for them. Actually, I don’t think anything is going to get either of them to change their ways.… Read more »
In the photo of the moment of silence at the beginning of the march, the other leaders are standing respectfully with eyes lowered and hands at their sides (or in the case of Merkel in a prayerful position) — Abbas has his hands in his pockets and is just looking around.
Finally, a voice of reason in the collive comment section wilderness. Anyway, if Obama had marched the headline would have been OBAMA MARCHES NEXT TO ABBAS.
Yawn. Just what we need: Another phony “alpha” male running the country. Last I checked, September 11 happened under Alpha’s Cheney and Bush, as did the overreaction leading to the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people, creating chaos in the Middle East, and spawning ISIS. But never mind the facts. Always shoot first and aim second — its the American way. I guess now that faux Food Stamp Republicans have run out of things to blame Obama for, they’re down to the last page of their playbook: pretend to be the Great Protectors at war with something — anything… Read more »
New president already
That gave me my laugh for the day.
Not that it matters.