Where Is Our William Wilberforce?

Last night, I saw the newly released movie, "Amazing Grace," which movingly details one British politician's long concerted effort to bring about the abolition of the Slave Trade in the British empire. It took William Wilberforce and his supporters 18 years from the date of his first speech in Parliament until his bill finally became law in 1807. As we left the theatre, my husband and I discussed the irony that, while we fought to be free from Great Britain, they freed the slaves decades before we did. I find myself wondering this morning if we aren't still trailing the British when it comes to certain political causes (such as getting out of Iraq).

I was interested, then, to read a guest editorial in today's New York Times by Rory Stewart, entitled "Politics Lite: No Sacrifice, No Substance, No Success," giving a British perspective on what is needed in politics today. Part of it reads as follows:

The Labor Party continues to invest in child poverty, but three weeks ago a U.N. agency ranked Britain 18th out of 18 rich countries in a study of children’s well-being. (The United States was 17th.) Islamist terror is answered with unprecedented levels of money and troops in Iraq and Afghanistan and comparatively little investment in intelligence and security, community relations and politics at home.

In Kabul I work with a local government councilor called Aziz, who was a champion wrestler. For 40 years, he has dealt with war, pogroms and government. He is assessed by members of his community on whether he is generous to the poor, courageous even in the face of death, a powerful representative of their interests and able to keep his promises. He and they believe that leadership is an exercise in moral virtue and courage, that politics should be a noble profession and politicians virtuous. A British voter might think that is naïve. But I believe Aziz is right.

It is patronizing to assume that voters can’t handle demanding, imaginative and risky policies. More Britons voted for the contestants on the TV programs “Big Brother” and “Pop Idol” last year than in the national elections. But the way to persuade people to vote is to make politics less, not more, like “Big Brother.”

I believe we need a William Wilberforce in American politics today. He saw what was wrong with his country and, with passion, dedication, and courage, set about changing it. Who will step forward to change our health care crisis, our education crisis, our energy crisis, our poverty crisis, and, most of all, our security crisis? Or are we waiting for the country that gave us "American Idol" to wake up, take the lead again, and show us the way back to a more noble political process, the process envisioned and championed by our own founding fathers?