US Representative Virginia Foxx – A horrendous example of poor leadership

Posted on by

US Congresswoman Virginia Foxx of NC’s 5th Congressional District

Christian Mango, a 10-year-old from Greensboro, North Carolina, recently wrote a letter to his Congresswoman, suggesting a $5,000 tax rebate for people buying electric vehicles. He shared his concern about the melting glaciers and worsening pollution and weather impacting the world. The letter was mailed to Congresswoman Foxx by the teacher who wrote, “Please enjoy this students hard work and passion.”

Congresswoman Foxx replied to the student, sharing her counterpoints on why she felt this was a bad idea, primarily that the tax rebate would need to come from other’s taxpayers pockets and that it could worsen our nation’s debt and economy.

But then Foxx crossed a line; she criticized Christian’s teachers for “indoctrinating him” instead of providing a good educational experience. She basically was insinuating that people who did not think like she did were bad and leading people down the wrong path This displays a horrendous example of poor leadership.

How should have Foxx replied? Try this:

“Dear Christian, thank you for sharing your proposal with me. As with any issue, there will be people who agree with you and there will be others who disagree. This is part of mature public discourse. I disagree with your proposal for the following reasons ….

I hope that you will have an open mind to understand the differing opinions that people may have about your proposal. And I commend you for taking the time to share your idea with me. I hope in your education you continue to learn about and discuss multiple sides to the issues facing our country.”

We should be encouraging children to be creative and discuss various ideas and viewpoints

Instead of encouraging civil discourse, Foxx jumps down a kid’s throat telling him he has been “indoctrinated.” This is the poorest kind of leadership imaginable. A good leader encourages people to bring forth creative ideas and engage in thoughtful conversation.

Ms. Foxx is totally unqualified to be an American leader. I am hoping that all the voting citizens in North Carolina congressional district 5 ask themselves, “is this the kind of message I want leaders to deliver to our children?” as they vote in the November elections.

Link to this recent news item.

* * * * * * * * * *

Do read my blog “Five Components of Excellent Leadership.”

Also my blog “Leadership Lessons from Star Wars,” and you can deduce what kind of leader Ms. Foxx is.

I am sick and tired of being demonized

Posted on by

What is so wrong about this adorable book about one kind of American family?

I am just sick of it. And here we go again. The North Carolina Republican-dominated legislature has called in the superintendent of the Chapel Hill – Carrboro school district, Rodney Trice, to question him about LGBTQ-themed books in their school libraries. Link to article. Despite not being able to pass an annual state budget for an entire year (the Republicans in the State House and the State Senate cannot agree), they are wasting their time on this non-issue because of one parent’s complaint.

If this one parent does not want their kid to read LGBTQ+ themes books, they can simply direct their kid not to take one out.  Why should this one parent trample on the rights of all the inclusive parents who are fine with their children reading books that include LGBTQ-themed content?  Don’t those parents have rights too?


But worse than this being a waste of time instead of addressing the needs of our state, this continues to send the message that gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people are somehow bad or illegitimate human beings. What does it say to a teenager coming to grips with their sexuality that there are no books in the library about this subject? What does it say to a small kid with two moms or two dads that their family is so bad, that there are no books about kids with two moms or two dads in their library?

And North Carolina is not the only state bent on demeaning and demonizing queer people. Some states are passing laws forcing transgender people to change their driver’s licenses to gender markers that do not align with their gender identities or to use the bathroom that matches their gender assigned at birth instead of their current gender identity. Some state legislatures are asking the Supreme Court to invalidate and reverse the ruling on universal marriage rights for same-gender couples. And some state legislatures are trying to ban the flying of the Pride Flag.

Should this man really be forced to use the ladies room because his birth certificate has the gender marker F?

It’s a disgrace that one particular political party (OK – let’s call it out – Republicans) are hell-bent on finding some group to hate. Over the past decades their hate and demonization has cycled across Black people, immigrants, Muslims and LGBTQ+ people. The only way they think they can win elections and keep power is to pit groups of Americans against each other with divisive rhetoric and laws.

It’s time to put and end to this hate. When you vote, please consider … are you voting for all Americans to be treated equally and respectfully, or are you voting for hate and division?