The mayor of Charlotte, North Carolina, was addressing the final breakfast meeting of NAE's Federal Seminar for Christian collegians. Her comments were forceful and on target. Suddenly she shifted gears: "How many Polish people..." she began. For a split second people got a little nervous. She wouldn't be about to tell an ethnic joke, would she? Then she completed the question: "How many Polish people does it take to turn the world around?" Pause. "One, if his name is Lech Walesa." Ahhh!

What a beautiful twist. The frequently maligned Polish people got a magnificent compliment. One of their shipyard wo…