<i> A look at noteworthy addresses in the Southland.</i>
On America’s Leadership Role “Since the end of World War II, our leadership in the world came primarily from our ability to protect other nations from an obvious military threat that was emanating from the Soviet Union. Now that threat is disintegrated and the question is, what’s the nature of our leadership in the world?
More than ever before, our leadership has got to come from the power of our example. From the example of the kind of society we build and the kind of economy that we build. That should be the example of a pluralistic democracy whose growing economy takes everybody to the higher ground.
Pluralism meaning multiracial, multiethnic, multicultural. Democracy meaning not only where people vote, but where they actively participate.
On the Challenges Facing America “It’s pretty difficult to lead by the power of your example of a pluralistic society as long as events such as those here in Los Angeles about 14 months ago pop across the television screen from Tokyo to London. . . . We need to reach out to each other more, we need to try to understand each other more. We have to begin to see diversity as a strength and not as a weakness. . . .
On Finding Solutions “We can deny reality, yet we know the reality is there. We know that in urban America you have tensions, crises that are building. . . . We know the opportunities in urban America are constrained by the presence of violence, joblessness and family disintegration.
All these problems, they’re symptomatic of, increasingly, our tendency to believe we can live in our own isolated world; our refusal to come into the public square together, with fellow citizens, and not only reason, but to try to find some common ground to try to deal with all these problems.
Looking Ahead *Tuesday: Alberto Fujimori, president of Peru, will speak at the Biltmore Hotel, Los Angeles, noon. Sponsored by the Los Angeles World Affairs Council, 628-2333.
Announcements concerning prominent speakers in Los Angeles should be sent to Speaking Up, c/o Times researcher Nona Yates, Los Angeles Times, Times Mirror Square, Los Angeles, CA 90053
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