THANK YOU, PRESIDENT TRUMP

by with No Comment FeaturedPolitics

Thank you, President Trump. Thank you for electrifying a nation that was politically flaccid. Thank you for jolting younger generations into political action. And, If I am being totally honest, thank for driving me to awaken the Silverback inside me.

Over the last six hundred and fifty four days of this Presidency, I’ve observed many things that have equally disturbed me and broken my heart. Unfortunately, at the top of that list are Conservatives of Faith who have continued to support this President. The more that I continued to see the bastardization of Faith, did it only drive me to recall my own Christian upbringing. While the net outcome of those conversations with myself will be shared at a later time, I did remember the following passage from 1 Kings 3: 16-27. Which is a story about King Solomon making a decision between amongst two disputing women:

16 Now two prostitutes came to the king and stood before him. 17 One of them said, “Pardon me, my lord. This woman and I live in the same house, and I had a baby while she was there with me. 18 The third day after my child was born, this woman also had a baby. We were alone; there was no one in the house but the two of us.

19 “During the night this woman’s son died because she lay on him. 20 So she got up in the middle of the night and took my son from my side while I your servant was asleep. She put him by her breast and put her dead son by my breast. 21 The next morning, I got up to nurse my son—and he was dead! But when I looked at him closely in the morning light, I saw that it wasn’t the son I had borne.”

22 The other woman said, “No! The living one is my son; the dead one is yours.”

But the first one insisted, “No! The dead one is yours; the living one is mine.” And so they argued before the king.

23 The king said, “This one says, ‘My son is alive and your son is dead,’ while that one says, ‘No! Your son is dead and mine is alive.’”

24 Then the king said, “Bring me a sword.” So they brought a sword for the king.25 He then gave an order: “Cut the living child in two and give half to one and half to the other.”

26 The woman whose son was alive was deeply moved out of love for her son and said to the king, “Please, my lord, give her the living baby! Don’t kill him!”

But the other said, “Neither I nor you shall have him. Cut him in two!”

27 Then the king gave his ruling: “Give the living baby to the first woman. Do not kill him; she is his mother.”

America is the baby. Love always wins. Go vote.

IT’S NOT ABOUT HIS VOTING RECORD

by with 7 Comments FeaturedPolitics

John McCain was one of the great Americans of our era. Far too many people caveat their remarks with their disagreements over one stance or another… but that’s the point.

He was a true legislator who wasn’t afraid of compromising or siding with anyone to get the best deal he could find… And yet, when he disagreed with anyone on either side, he pulled at them with all his might. That meant at one time or another, he fought with everyone, but we saw his true heart in his belief that our country’s values would set the whole world free, such as his bipartisan work on campaign finance reform.

Those who chastise McCain for his spectrum of politics or his view on an issue miss the point. He was one of the few men left in Washington that throughout his life proved that he believed in something greater than himself and directed his entire life’s work toward those goals.

If we had 100 senators who approached their own constituents and principles (liberal or conservative) as McCain did, we would be a much better country. And without his example, we are probably less.

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A Peek Inside American Sports: Cheers & Protests

by with 3 Comments FeaturedSports

“Hahahahahah yeah too [sic] bad I’m fucking grounded nigger can’t do shit” – Josh Hader, October 20, 2011.

To be recognized as an All-Star in any profession is a high honor. To be recognized as an All-Star in any professional sport is a tremendous honor. To be recognized as a racist All-Star on the night you make your first All-Star appearance is a disgrace; depending on who you ask in Milwaukee.

Josh Hader is a 24-year-old pitcher for the Milwaukee Brewers. Josh Hader is White. During last weeks MLB All-Star Game, various racist, misogynistic, homophobic, and xenophobic tweets from 2011 surfaced during the game (see above). Following the game, Hader was informed that the tweets had gone viral and with the help of his PR team delivered the usual platitudes that are given by White athletes in this scenario. By now, you know them well. The words “sorry” “ashamed” “misguided” are often carpet bombed through the statement which typically ends with a reassurance that the comments don’t reflect their current views.

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We’ve seen this scenario play out quite a few times over the last year. During the NCAA Men’s basketball championship in April, breakout star Donte DiVincenzo’s racist tweets surfaced during the game. After attesting Cam Newton’s sexist remarks at a press conference in October, Charlotte Observer reporter, Jourdan Rodrigue’s racist tweets were surfaced. To date, neither Hader, DiVincenzo, and Rodrigue have suffered any public consequence for their tweets. While the flippant tweets of teenagers are surely a glimpse into how they were parented and their mindset at the time, I fully accept that people’s ideologies can evolve from teenage years to young adulthood. Rodrigue continues her career at the Charlotte Observer, DiVincenzo recently signed a million-dollar NBA contract with the Milwaukee Bucks, and Hader was given a standing ovation by the Milwaukee Brewers fan’s when he entered the game this weekend. Yes, you read that correctly; the fans gave Hader a standing ovation. A visual, audible, and symbolic affirmation of his vile commentary. Don’t believe me, just watch.

In a week that included watching the sitting President of the United States bend the proverbial knee to the President of a foreign advisory, watching the Milwaukee fans rise to applaud Hader was by far the most disgusting act I saw last week. As I watched a large majority of the 36,000 fans applaud, I could only wonder what were their professions. Then I was reminded of Sterling Brown.

Sterling Brown is a 23-year-old basketball player for the NBA’s Milwaukee Bucks. Sterling Brown is Black. While standing in a handicap parking space, Mr. Brown was tased and violently arrested by the Milwaukee Police Department earlier this year. Body camera footage showed that Mr. Brown was compliant in the face of excessive force used by police. Mr. Brown is currently suing the Milwaukee Police Department for police brutality. Yep, and you guessed it, one of the arresting officers – wait for it – went on social media to boast about his arrest and make racially charged comments.

Juxtapose these events in Milwaukee and therein you’ll find a microcosm of not only sports in America but America. A White man is cheered for his racism in MLB and another receives a million-dollar NBA contract in spite of his racism. Meanwhile, a Black man in the NBA is brutalized by police for his existence and another continues to be blackballed by the NFL for exercising his right to take a knee to demand justice for it all.

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NFL Owners Cave to Trump… “Show Respect”

by with One Comment FeaturedSports

You can tell me where to line up. How to defend a certain play. Even what I should eat before a game. All that falls under what we call “coaching,” and the NFL probably does more of it than any other professional league. But when the NFL, or any organization in America for that matter, starts telling their employees what and who they should respect; as Americans, we should all question them and the current state of our country that makes anyone think it’s acceptable to render such a “rule.” This is America, and in America, it’s our right to stand… or not.

In 2018, the fact that our government, our institutions, or an employer, regardless of how powerful they might be, can make such demands is troubling. Times change, and democratic nations must make sure that change is always progressive and inclusive.

The NFL owners are a wealthy-predominantly-white-older-group of men. To say they lack diversity is an understatement. More than 70% of their players are Black, but it’s clear they didn’t consider their opinions, or consult their Union, prior to voting on this issue.

There’s only one reason for such a ruling. And believe it or not, it started at a Trump rally in rural Alabama. Yup, Donald Trump has done it again. The seeds he sowed months ago by rallying his base over this non-political issue and calling NFL players sons of bitches, has now blossomed and come to fruition. Despite many NFL owners being caught on tape at recent meetings criticizing Trump for his comments regarding their league and players, they’ve essentially caved to his far-right isolationist demand.

“All team and league personnel on the field shall stand and show respect for the flag and the anthem.”

…That’s the language released from the league office this morning.

Show respect for the flag and anthem. Because in America, we now threaten your employment and income if you choose to exercise your constitutional right.

But… there’s an exception… Players will not be required to be on the field during the anthem. So say 45 of the 53 active players decide to stay in the locker room week after week during the anthem, and Trump gets back on his bullhorn to criticize them and the owners for allowing them to do so via their new rule, should we expect the owners to be strong and not cave in this time? Probably not.

Gotta love strong-arm patriotism that ignores constitutional rights.

[Expect LCR Contributors to weigh in.] 

America, Why So Stubborn?

by with 3 Comments Featured

Extreme polarization between both major political parties has played a significant role in the current chaotic state of our union. Middle ground has become toxic. Compromise is a dirty word. Mutual exclusivity and zero-sum outcomes are endemic. Why can’t Americans change their minds? Why are they so stubborn?

Perhaps they don’t realize that the solutions to yesterday’s problems may not solve today’s.

Perhaps they have forgotten that there is often more than one good solution to a problem.

Perhaps they are so convinced that their opponents’ solutions are wrong that they vilify each other with terms like “dangerous” or “evil.”

Perhaps their experience has never taught them that the best solution is sometimes a combination of the best parts of different solutions.

America is meant to be the combination of all the best ideas, people, and things that have ever existed: a “melting pot” of cultures and compromises. All the best sciences, arts, philosophies, foods, fashions, customs, military tactics, political and economic systems… America only became the greatest nation in the world by becoming the best parts of ALL the nations in the world.

But America must find the emotional temperament to constantly improve, adapt, and change with the times or it will cease to be the greatest. Self-esteem must be balanced to defeat stubbornness and embrace a greater truth in lieu of a lesser, personal opinion.

Arrogance believes it is better than it truly is.

Insecurity believes it is worse than it truly is.

Confidence knows exactly how good it is.

Humility knows exactly how bad it is.

The Arrogant will never explore their opposition’s point of view out of pride; will never concede a point during an argument out of spite; will attack their opponent instead of their problem; will tend towards dogmatism or authoritarianism; and will dismiss sound logic if it doesn’t serve their particular worldview.

The Insecure will yield their position to the apparently strongest voice; will be prone to herd behavior even while stampeding off a cliff; will shut down when provoked or challenged; and will timidly and unquestioningly blend in with the values (healthy or harmful) of their community, family, faith, or social group.

The Confident will defend truth over opinion; will entertain nuances within complex issues; can parry personal attacks with empathy and patience rather than retaliation; can concede a valid counterpoint comfortably without fear of conceding the entire argument; will give their opponents as much latitude as possible, even going so far as to help strengthen a counterargument in the case that it might actually be the better position; and ultimately will change positions entirely when stronger evidence or a superior argument demands it.

The Humble will not make excuses, but rather assume full responsibility for their mistakes; will not use every effort to deny culpability or excuse past transgressions or mistakes; will acknowledge their weaknesses and seek to remedy them; can receive constructive criticism as a gift rather than an attack; and will quickly realize when their positions are problematic or harmful, consequently abandoning them for healthier, happier, and more sustainable positions.

How can we fix our problems without admitting them?

How can we remain prosperous if we don’t defend what truly made us successful in the first place? 

Arrogance and Insecurity cause the stubbornness that makes this great nation struggle. To continue thriving, America must be Confident enough to stay true to what made it so great and Humble enough to change what has made it so terrible.