Beyond the damage that the majority of Americans feel is being done to our country by this administration, there is another critical reason to vote for congressional checks and balances in the upcoming midterms.
To save our children.
What do you think would be the effect on our nation’s children when our most visible and powerful leaders model behavior that totally conflicts with the character traits we try to teach them?
A whole generation of America’s children—over 50 million—have been exposed to this president’s corrosive influence for more than a decade. At their most vulnerable stage. At a time when they are developing their brains, their character, and core values.
The science is clear that the preteen and teenage years are when our kids are most impressionable. And mostly unconscious about what is shaping them. And let’s not kid ourselves about “childhood innocence” or our ability to isolate them. We know our children’s tech savvy and access to online media today are boundless!
My life’s work has been devoted to character-based leadership. First by training thousands of executives and managers at Renaissance Leadership, a firm that I founded in 1978. There it became evident that the most vital principle for effective leadership—and life—is leading through character-based values such as honesty, trust, mutual respect, and service above self.
Business and life success occurred when these principles prevailed. Note that President Trump believes in none of them. And our children know that.
And then I had the honor of serving as president of the Milton Hershey School, the world’s largest residential school, with over 2,200 financially needy students in pre-K through 12th grade. Our school learned early on that the character development of our children was the key to their success. We became quite good at it, and MHS has been renowned for student character development for over a century.
But with the advent of mass media, technology, and now AI, character-building is becoming much tougher for schools. And incredibly difficult for parents who are the front-line shapers and defenders of America’s children.
A central concept that we taught at Renaissance Leadership was called “The Shadow of the Leader.” Essentially, who you are—your values and your character—casts an impact far beyond what you say and even do.
“Who you are speaks so loudly I can’t hear you!”
That captured the concept. So think about the penetrating impact Trump has on our children, not only by what he brazenly does but what he boasts about daily. Neither we nor especially our kids and grandkids can tell how much is “sinking in.”
Picture our students who were exposed to this “leadership model” from 3rd to 12th grade over the past decade. To the most powerful person in the world. That has the capacity to poison the moral fiber of a whole generation of our children.
And to appreciate the corrosive impact on our citizens, we need only look at dictatorships like those of Hitler and Stalin. And the seduction by fictional villains like the Joker and Darth Vader on juveniles.
So what lessons are America’s children learning from our “Commander in Chief”?
- LYING IS SMART.
- ALWAYS BLAME OTHERS.
- TRUST—AND YOUR WORD—DON’T MATTER.
- (MY) ENDS JUSTIFY MY MEANS.
- BULLYING IS COOL.
- HELPING OTHERS IS STUPID.
Here is the worst part. Our cultural degradation is occurring without a national uproar. Our children are absorbing these lessons of vanity and vengeance largely without a public moral screen.
So this midterm election needs to be our “National Outcry”! Not as Democrats or Republicans or Independents. But as parents, grandparents, teachers, coaches, and all Americans who care about honesty, decency, and putting country above self.
That will require electing courageous and patriotic candidates to Congress. Morally strong leaders who will provide guardrails on a president who will be older, meaner, and more self-serving in the last two years of his reign.
And then we can proudly show our children that America still prides itself on founding principles like equality, freedom of speech, fairness, and rule of law. Building their character around integrity, service, and fairness will still be challenging but doable again.
This is an epic struggle between good and evil. It is essential that Americans rein in the dangerous dictator in the White House for the next two years.
If we fail to do so, the damage to our republic—and to our children—may be beyond repair by 2028.
Johnny O’Brien is a former president of Milton Hershey School and founder of Renaissance Leadership. He is the author of Semisweet: An Orphan’s Journey Through the School the Hersheys Built and lives in Easton.
10 Responses
I agree. America’s leaders should model behaviors that we want our country’s children to embrace. The unrestrained ugliness, and misogyny coming from the White House since the start of 2025 is unprecedented, and has caused more divisiveness , damaging our nation both at home and abroad. Meanwhile, the majority of our elected Congressional representatives, have not had the courage to speak out against the breakdown in civility.
Amen
The destructive impact that I believe the Trump administration is having on America and on our democratic institutions is deeply troubling and, in many respects, difficult to overstate. At this critical moment, it is more important than ever for citizens to remain engaged, informed, and committed to participating in our democracy.
We need to get out and vote and make our voices heard in the upcoming elections. A strong and independent Congress can provide an important constitutional check and counterbalance to presidential power while the country navigates these challenging times.
Thank you for this excellent, thoughtful, and timely letter. It is an important reminder that our democracy depends not only on our elected officials, but also on the willingness of citizens to participate and make their voices heard\.
As a retired school teacher, I remember that building good character was a big part of our curriculum – being trustworthy, caring, honest, responsible, respectful, including others, being good citizens. Trump exhibits none of those character traits. Voting for someone who has supported him is undermining our country and sending the wrong message to our children and grandchildren who are tomorrow’s leaders.
Thanks Johnny for this important and insightful alarm.
All children are sponges when it comes to learning. Our developing brains notice everything. Kids may not talk about it to us, but they absorb it. And we don’t forget it as adults.
When they hear the President of the United States using obscenities such as dropping F bombs, calling people and countries excrement, lying everyday of the week, criticizing women as nasty and ugly, and calling military personnel losers, they assume it’s okay. Unlike MAGA people, most kids don’t think this behavior is a sign of strength. To them it’s simply something that it’s OK to do.
I agree with Mr. O’Brien’s concern. It may take a whole generation to get over the poisonous harm Donald J. Trump daily inflicts on our county – if we are lucky.
Sigh! You are so right. Outside of the terrible policy decisions of this administration, I get most discouraged by our President’s modeling of bullying, lying, and blaming for our children. Patriotism and pride call us to stand up to such behavior. Thank you Johnny O’Brian.
The destructive impact that I believe the Trump administration is having on America and on our democratic institutions is deeply troubling and, in many respects, difficult to overstate. At this critical moment, it is more important than ever for citizens to remain engaged, informed, and committed to participating in our democracy.
We need to get out and vote and make our voices heard in the upcoming elections. A strong and independent Congress can provide an important constitutional check and counterbalance to presidential power while the country navigates these challenging times.
Thank you for this excellent, thoughtful, and timely letter. It is an important reminder that our democracy depends not only on our elected officials, but also on the willingness of citizens to participate and make their voices heard.
Johnny,
Thank you for a thoughtful and intelligent commentary. You are someone I have infinite respect for and your leadership and character quotient surpasses the sum of those groveling about 40 miles to our west. Thank you also for thinking ahead and ringing the bell for our future generations. Let’s start fixing this mess. Well done and BZ.
Thank you, Johnny, for bringing attention to the damage being done to our youth by the current administration. Core values, honesty, respect, compassion, acceptance, tolerance and truth, to name a few, are completely shattered by Trump and his enablers.
Replacing these values are: greed, dishonesty, prejudice, evil, brutality, and more. I pray that the damage done is not permanent.