Even on vacation you cannot avoid the American Presidential election. Every newspaper, television and radio programme has a programme or an interview about it. It seems most people have an opinion on the candidates although there will always be the “Don’t knows”. The stakes in that election are very high, of course, but there are others where it is prestige rather than power that is at stake. Such is the case where candidates vie for election in a Club or association committee election campaign. This might be for the Presidency of a charitable organization such as the Lions club or for the chairman of a business association.
The American presidential election is, of course, the big one but there are also elections for Mayor in countries all over the world. While his or her influence might not be so far-reaching he or she can make a huge difference locally.
We often forget that electioneering starts at school level with student election to college council campaigns. The stakes may not be as high but the rhetoric and the
heckling are just as exciting and the campaign doesn’t cost millions!

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Where are all the good guys gone? Once upon a time we knew there were goodies and baddies and that the goodies always won. Nowadays we can be forgiven for wondering whether our prison system is equitable or fair. In fact we might be inclined to think that prison is not the only punishment for crime.
Many of those in our jails are themselves victims of injustice, racial intolerance or deprived backgrounds. Hundreds live on death row and live day by day with the threat of the death penalty. Is this society’s vengeance or a just punishment? Are fetters and chains destructive rather than instructive? Are there better ways to deal with violence and murder? Can prisoners be reformed and made into productive members of society? These are all questions that need to be answered if we are not all to be as guilty as they.
Then there are the prisoners of conscience. Most of us prefer not to think of innocent people being tortured and imprisoned by cruel regimes. Yet every day in every part of the world people disappear from their villages and towns captured by corrupt Government forces. Their suffering does not make the headlines but one group works tirelessly on their behalf. For such prisoners an Amnesty approach shows them that they are not forgotten. This organisation challenges us to challenge such governments and to keep pressing for democratic governments to be installed. Yet is there really that much difference between their treatment of prisoners and our own? Can we really hold our heads high and say we have a humane prison system?
We are building bigger and better prisons at enormous expense to the taxpayer. Obviously violent criminals must not be let loose on society. Equally obviously we should be thinking of new and more creative ideas regarding rehabilitation. Closing a cell door is easy but it isn’t always the right answer to the problems we face.

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The news headlines reflect the world in which we live. They speak of murder and rape not to mention drugs and drink and all the other social problems of our days. They show us in gory detail the consequences of speeding on our roads. How can we get the message across that it’s not cool to be stone cold dead or that drink is a death warrant? Perhaps all drivers should have to visit a rehabilitation centre before they are issued with a licence?. Maybe they ought to spend a night in a prison to see what the consequences would be if they killed or maimed someone. Perhaps role playing should be a part of road safety courses and learner drivers would have to act the part of the policeman who tells a wife her husband is dead or of a doctor telling parents their child will never walk again. Despite all the publicity we have not succeeded in stopping the carnage so perhaps its time we had other ways of getting the safety message across. In a good speech we should be able to get across the idea that we don’t want to make the headlines for the wrong reasons.

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It’s given to very few of us to change the world. Nelson Mandela did it when he fought the scourge of apartheid. Most of us aren’t brave enough or determined enough or indeed far seeing enough to make such a sweeping change at immense cost to ourselves. We can, though, change our own little corner of the world by making it a happier place. Volunteering is one way of doing this and there are countless causes that need our involvement and our time. You might, for instance, learn to play the guitar and give hours of pleasure to hospital patients or at an old folks’ party. You could fundraise for a good cause or indeed send a donation to a charity. You might campaign for more jobs in your area or for more help for the disabled. You could visit the lonely or become a scientist who finds cures for diseases. Volunteers run marathons, climb mountains and cut off their beards in aid of good causes. They give out leaflets and knock on doors in aid of political candidates. They help train children in sports clubs and feed the starving in the third world. So whatever you choose to do you can change someone’s world simply by volunteering.

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Most of us want to be successful whether it’s in our business or our personal lives. We read articles about people who have managed it and we want to be like them. In business there are few of us who wouldn’t like to be a Henry Ford or a Bill Gates. Golfer’s dream of being another Tiger Woods and no footballer would mind being as successful as Pele… A singer might aspire to be a Bob Dylan or to form a group like the Beatles. For most of us, of course, being famous is just a dream but if you believe you can achieve success you will. How did those household names do it? Persistence, patience and passion are the secrets of success. There is no doubt too but that creativity is crucial to success. Obviously hard work and determination are factors but if you find a business mentor it’s a shortcut to success. So if you do get around to starting a business and you make a go of it always remember how much your staff has contributed and work on the basis that everyone should share in success. That way you will truly be a real achiever.

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School may be out but educators everywhere are already preparing speeches for upcoming parent/teacher meetings in the new term. University deans are practising their welcome to the faculty speeches at the beginning of the academic year. Then of course there is the need for head teachers to say a few words in their induction speeches for new staff. Teachers everywhere have the need to give welcoming speeches to their pupils at the re-opening of school. They may be deciding on how to motivate their pupils by addressing such words of wisdom as telling them to improve their concentration or telling them to say “No” and have the courage of their convictions. They may be explaining how much good grades matter or giving the age old advice that breakfast is the way to kick start your life. No matter what age the pupils are, or how they word it, teachers will always be getting across the same message to every student “Be yourself you are special”.

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