Heroes and Leaders

A leader is a person who comes forward in a time of crisis and guides people to a prosperous future. All leaders have many of the same characteristics. Leaders can exist on a small scale, a leader of a group of friends, or they can exist on a much larger scale, the President of the United States. A leader has to be unafraid to stand up for himself and his fellow people. Having the ability to get people to rally behind you is a quality a leader may have. A good speech maker or speaker who is not afraid to speak their ideas to a mass of people is a much more likely leader than someone who is shy and mumbles. A leader has to be able to handle situations as they arise and deal with them. Quick decisions are essential especially if you're the President of the United States, and you have to control an entire army. I do not consider myself a great leader, but I often find that I share some of the qualities of a leader. I am unafraid to stand up for myself when I am debating about government or my views on the world. I am lucky to have many friends who will stand up for me and rally behind me when I need their help. I am not an extraordinary speaker, but I am able to express myself clearly when the need arises. Making quick decisions is my downfall, and I often make the wrong one, and when I look back on some of the decisions I made, I feel there were better options.

People who have stood up for what they believe in, fought for their country, or saved a life at the risk of possibly losing their own are all heroes of mine. Someone who stands up for what they believe in has the courage to speak in front of millions of people. Martin Luther King Jr. (MLK) was a hero not only for speaking out against racism against African Americans, but he stood up for what he believed in and was willing to die for his beliefs. MLK's flaw was that he had marital problems and cheated on his wife. George Washington, the General of the Union Army, was a hero because he fought for his country in the Revolutionary War. Even though he did not die for what he believed in, he would have gladly taken a bullet for his country. George Washington's flaw was that even though he was a great general he also killed many soldiers and people to become the great leader he was. Anyone who is fighting for our country right now is a hero in some small way. The fire fighters who died in the September 11 attacks were all people who died in the line of duty. All of these people had

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