Last week I had surgery and had a little free time to watch the movie The Post.

For those who haven’t seen it, here’s a brief synopsis:
A cover-up that spanned four U.S. Presidents pushed the country’s first female newspaper publisher and a hard-driving editor to join an unprecedented battle between the press and the government.

I watch this movie thinking it’s going to be a bit of a woman’s empowerment type of movie. And it was, but another theme resonated much more deeply.

So, The New York Times prints their story and shortly after has an injunction placed on them initiated by the President and issued by the courts.

The Post must now decide if they should post what they have or not.

What’s interesting is the reason for the injunction is National Security, but the stories are based on a study, not on military movements during the Vietnam War. The Post thinks that they can publish without endangering National Security.

The issue of National Security in the film seems to be related to the fact that several presidents have continued a war in Vietnam, in spite of all signs being that they will lose, solely to keep from being the losers in the war.

There is an argument in there for National Security in this instance, but I don’t think it’s the reason they give in the movie. What I want to focus on is the reason they give in the movie and fro the documents –  the reputation of the country.

Fast forward decades to Penn State and Michigan State pedophile scandals. In both cases, there is a very clear message, and in some cases, actually, documentation, that these were covered up to save the reputation of the institution.

During the Vietnam war, we let our young men fight a war to protect the reputation of the United States. Is it any surprise that decades later institutions would follow that lead and sacrifice our youth for the reputation of their institution.

We follow the lead of our leaders, even when they make the wrong decisions. As leaders, and we are all leaders at some time, we need to set a positive example for those following us. And for generations to come.

Make sure you’re proud of the example you set for those who follow behind you.