I fear some of our leaders today have lost the courage to stand

“I fear some of our leaders today have lost the courage to stand up. What we have now are politicians. They won’t offer real plans, and only stand up when they want to blame someone else.” These words, spoken by Susana Martinez, echo like a warning bell in an age when truth too often bends before convenience. Hers is not a cry of despair, but a call — a call to awaken the spirit of leadership that once defined the great and noble. For when courage departs from leadership, what remains is not strength but performance; not vision, but vanity.

In ancient times, the elders taught that a true leader must possess three virtues: wisdom, justice, and courage. Wisdom sees what must be done; justice ensures it is done rightly; and courage bears the burden of doing it, even when the world resists. But as Martinez laments, when courage fades, the other virtues crumble like sand. For wisdom without courage remains unspoken, and justice without courage remains unfulfilled. The result is what we see too often in our time — leaders who fear to lead, voices that echo with empty promises, and hands that point but never build.

Consider the lesson of Marcus Aurelius, the philosopher-king of Rome. Surrounded by enemies within and without, he faced the decay of empire and the weariness of endless war. Yet he did not blame his generals, nor shift responsibility to the Senate. Instead, he wrote in his Meditations: “Waste no more time arguing about what a good man should be. Be one.” This is the heart of Martinez’s truth — that leadership requires action born of conviction, not speeches crafted for applause. True leaders do not hide behind blame; they step forward into the storm, even if alone.

There was a time, too, in America’s own story, when courage stood taller than ambition. Think of Abraham Lincoln, weary and heartbroken, yet steadfast in a time of division deeper than our own. He was mocked, doubted, and despised by many — yet he never sought to blame or evade. Instead, he bore the nation’s grief upon his shoulders, declaring, “With malice toward none, with charity for all.” Such is the mark of a true leader: not to seek refuge in excuse, but to find purpose in sacrifice.

But Martinez’s words remind us that politicians have replaced statesmen, and spectacle has replaced service. Too many now lead by calculation, not conscience. They speak of plans, yet offer none that endure beyond the next election. They stand tall only to point fingers, and kneel only before public opinion. Yet every time a leader blames rather than acts, the light of accountability dims — and the people grow weary in darkness. For the world does not hunger for words; it hungers for deeds.

Yet let us not only grieve, but awaken. The decay of courage among leaders is not inevitable, for courage itself lies dormant in every heart — waiting to rise. The farmer who endures drought yet plants again, the teacher who believes in children when society forgets them, the citizen who speaks truth in a world of noise — these, too, are leaders. They lead not with titles, but with integrity. And from such souls, nations are reborn. For when the people regain their courage, their leaders must follow.

Therefore, children of tomorrow, heed this wisdom: do not wait for courage to appear in others — become it yourself. Stand firm when fear tempts you to silence. Offer plans when others only complain. Take responsibility for what is yours, and resist the easy poison of blame. For the strength of a nation does not rest in its politicians, but in the courage of its people. And when courage once again rises among the people, the leaders who have lost it will either learn to stand — or be left behind.

So let the words of Susana Martinez endure as both warning and challenge. Let them remind us that leadership without courage is an illusion, and that to govern without conviction is to betray one’s duty. May each generation demand more of those who lead — and even more of themselves. For when courage returns to the hearts of men and women, then will the age of politicians fade, and the age of true leaders rise again.