Why has it become so hard to find leaders who will lead from the front, rather than following from behind?

That is just one of the topics Mike Bloomberg included in his commencement speech at The University of Michigan today.

Here's Your Degree. Now Go Defeat Demagogues.

By

Michael R. Bloomberg

The following are some well-intended excerpts with a reference to delays by the Mesa City Council to even consideration of a proposed Non-Discrimination Ordinance . The quotes are from an adaptation of an address to the University of Michigan’s class of 2016

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April 30, 2016 10:21 AM

"The most useful knowledge that you leave here with today has nothing to do with your major. It’s about how to study, cooperate, listen carefully, think critically and resolve conflicts through reason. Those are the most important skills in the working world, and it’s why colleges have always exposed students to challenging and uncomfortable ideas.

The fact that some university boards and administrations now bow to pressure and shield students from these ideas through “safe spaces,” “code words” and “trigger warnings” is, in my view, a terrible mistake.
The whole purpose of college is to learn how to deal with difficult situations -- not run away from them. A microaggression is exactly that: micro. And one of the most dangerous places on a college campus is a safe space, because it creates the false impression that we can insulate ourselves from those who hold different views . . .
We can’t do this, and we shouldn’t try -- not in politics or in the workplace. In the global economy, and in a democratic society, an open mind is the most valuable asset you can possess.
. . . over the past two centuries, . . . the promise of equal rights has spread across income, religion, race, gender and sexual orientation . . .
Democracy in action can actually produce a lot of inaction, which we see every day in Washington and other levels of government, too. When governments fail to address the needs of the people, voters in both parties get angry and some politicians exploit that anger by offering scapegoats instead of solutions.
If we want to stop demagogues, we have to start governing again, and that requires us to be more civil, to support politicians who have the courage to take risks."

Source: http://www.bloombergview.com/articles/2016-04-30/here-s-your-degree-now-go-defeat-demagogues