The Poem MLK Quoted Belongs on Our Leaders' Desks

 We should send all of our leaders two little mementos, telling them they are courtesy of Martin Luther King, Jr.
  Two little reminders that tell them how they should act.
  They are to keep them on their desk, right in front of them, where they will read them every day.
   One is a statement from MLK, himself. The other is a poem MLK quoted in one of his most famous speeches.
   Tell me, if these words of wisdom would not be good reminders for all our leaders. First, the quote:
    "Another thing that we must do in speeding up the coming of the new age is to develop intelligent, courageous and dedicated leadership. This is one of the pressing needs of the hour. In this period of transition and growing social change, there is a dire need fo rleaders who are calm and yet positive; leaders who avaoid the extremes of 'hot-headness' and 'Uncle Tomism.' The urgency of the hour calls for leaders of wise judgement and sound integrity -- leaders not in love with money but in love with justice; leaders not in love with publicity, but in love with humanity; leaders who can subject their particular egos to the greatness of the cause. To paraphrase Holland's word: God give us leaders!"
   And second, the poem MLK quoted. He substituted the word "Men" with "Leaders," and we will do the same:

Give us Leaders!
Leaders -- from every rank,
Fresh and free and frank;
Leaders of thought and reading,
Leaders of light and leading,
Leaders of loyal breeding,
The nation’s welfare speeding;
Leaders of faith and not of fiction,
Leaders of lofty aim in action;
Give us Leaders -- I say again,
Give us Leaders!

Give us Leaders!
Strong and stalwart ones;
Leaders whom highest hope inspires,
Leaders whom purest honor fires,
Leaders who trample self beneath them,
Leaders who make their country wreath them
As her noble sons,
Worthy of their sires;
Leaders who never shame their mothers,
Leaders who never fail their brothers,
True, however false are others:
Give us Leaders -- I say again,
Give us Leaders!

Give us Leaders!
Leaders who, when the tempest gathers,
Grasp the standard of their fathers
In the thickest fight;
Leaders who strike for home and altar,
(Let the coward cringe and falter),
God defend the right!
True as truth the lorn and lonely,
Tender, as the brave are only,
Leaders who tread where saints have trod,
Leaders for Country, Home and God:
Give us Leaders! I say again- again-
Give us Leaders!