Sam Houston Leadership

Throughout our country’s great history, we have seen a number of great, effective leaders. With that said, it is no easy task to narrow down to a few, the qualities that made and make these men and women so incredibly talented. Great leadership is essential to the well being of any populace, and, undoubtedly, the United States has seen some of the greatest leaders of any country. The qualities that our greatest leaders demonstrate are those such as courage, whether in the face of danger or in the turmoil of the political arena; humility, the essential humbleness that encourages the trust of the people and assures you are a leader of sound judgment and respect; and, of course, passion, the driving force behind innovation, the ambition to

It is not just military service that establishes a leader’s courage however. In a lot of cases, it is the ability to go against the crowd and stay true to your core tenets that makes you a courageous leader. A shining example of this would be the story of Texas Senator and governor Sam Houston. Sam Houston had very strong values against slavery and the eventual secession of Texas from the union. Sam Houston was the only Southern Democrat to vote against the Kansas-Nebraska Act. This powerful stand led to his dismissal from his Texas Senate seat in 1857. Two years later Houston was asked to come out of retirement and run for governor of Texas. During his tenure he made a valiant effort at stopping secession, but he eventually failed in February 1861. In his last stand against the new Confederacy he refused to take an oath of allegiance and was dismissed from the governorship in March 1861. It is these gallant efforts that immortalize the name Houston as the name of the fourth largest city in the United States. Sam Houston

We will not be the greatest nation on Earth; however, if we continue to elect leaders who lack certain essential qualities. Qualities such as courage, humility, and passion are absolutely essential to the leadership that will carry our country into an uncertain future. The only thing certain about our future as a nation is: if we continue to elect poor leaders we will not have one. Our nation, from the very beginning, has been a shining example of democracy and personal freedom in the world. We must look for the continued leadership: the courage, the humility, and the passion to remain the preeminent world power and the shining city on a hill we have always been. I think about the future of this nation often, but I think optimistically because we shall overcome, and we will remain strong. I am part of a new generation of leaders; ones that will carry our country into the middle and late 21st Century. I, along with my fellow patriots, vow to use my talents and my blessings to unfalteringly lead this country into a glorious