Vote your values and value your vote.
This is likely the most consequential election in our lifetimes. America’s challenges and opportunities are bigger and more complex than ever. So our country desperately needs effective leadership at this critical period.
All of us value our right to free speech. Voting for who leads this great nation is a priceless form of our freedom to express ourselves. It’s our most important way of being heard in the civic arena. Cherish it. Exercise it. Vote!
And make sure your values get heard through your vote. Beyond the election hype and spin, we each know what we value at our core. What we stand for deep down. Some of my core values are:
RESPECT and CIVILITY toward all.
SERVICE for the GREATER GOOD ( Country above self )
COMPASSION for those in NEED
When we pick our greatest U.S. presidents ( like Washington, Lincoln, FDR, etc.), we heavily weight their character — who they were not just what they did — in our ratings. They all scored heavily on these core principles. As did my hero, Milton S. Hershey, who saved my life and the lives of countless orphans. How do the candidates measure up to your heroes?
What are your core beliefs? I urge you to require candidates to meet your test of what truly counts. For sure, the character of our leaders in the Oval Office and Congress matters enormously.
You and your voice count. Your vote matters. Please vote and vote your cherished values.
Johnny O’Brien is the former President the the Hershey School in Hershey Pennsylvania.
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