[August 31, 2017] We don’t hear much about American core values anymore and we certainly don’t see them on television, read about them in the news, or have politicians discuss them. But we do see them in action. The latest are values shown by volunteers who have come out to help those in the state of Texas where Hurricane Harvey devastated so much of the southeast part of the state.
I wrote about American core values on several occasions (see links here, here, and here) and commented that people the world over admire and respect us for those values and explains why so many people want to come here. One of those core values was “defender of the helpless” and has been a part of our culture since the beginning of the nation. We see it in action today more than ever.
One group that epitomizes this – and has been in the news lately – is the Cajun Navy. Immediately after Hurricane Harvey hit, trucks, SUVs, and other vehicles with Louisiana license plants started streaming into the flooded parts of Texas.1 Towed with them were all sorts of watercraft – airboats, duck boats, fishing skiffs, and even kayaks – and the volunteers jumped right in to help rescue people.
What it takes to put together such an effort, whether it be from the Cajun Navy or any other governmental or volunteer group, is a dedicated leadership that is willing to put in the time and effort to make it all work (often without pay or compensation). We see them in the background making sure that clear guidance and critical information is quickly disseminated.
We also see leaders giving recognition for the work those volunteers are doing to save lives, rescue people and animals, and bring in food, water, and medical supplies. The “government” can only do so much and a democratic, limited government encourages the action by individuals to assist where they can do so and do it safely.
Volunteer leaders at this level must use persuasion and getting people to understand and follow a vision; much the same way it is done at the senior leader level. Their leaders know that it’s not about carrots and sticks but through encouragement, making people proud of what they do, and the satisfaction they gain from it.
Those very same volunteer leaders are in a challenging position. They must gain the trust and confidence of those who are in their group or organization, while keeping their members effectively working toward shared goals and do so with much more limited resources. Furthermore, their awareness of today’s societal problem areas is where they shine by bringing together those would are willing and able to help.
We salute the efforts of the volunteers who express key American core values, their leadership team, and all those helping due to Hurricane Harvey and all other disasters.
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