It’s *That* We Play the Game

by with No Comment CultureFeaturedSocial IssuesSports

“It doesn’t matter if we win or lose, it’s how we play the game.”

An old cliche that finally made complete, visceral sense to me this past week.

Covid has kept family and friends apart for so long that simple occasions that we once took for granted now feel like an historic achievement.

I got a bunch of family and friends together to play a simple kickball game. There were people present I hadn’t seen in a few years, some for a decade.

With heat, mosquitos, and small children (I had 2 toddlers to corral), I didn’t give us great odds to get though an inning let alone an entire game.

But everyone there seemed to understand the ever rarer ability for occasions like this to happen in these Covid times. Even the young ones, 7 to 14, hustled to their field positions or stepped up to the plate in pro timing with a sense of importance and urgency.

We got through 7 full innings with a very productive game of 3 outs or 5 runs per inning: double plays, home runs, peg outs, force outs, and more.

The young ones weren’t given special treatment so when they got on base or forced an out, there was a real sense of achievement and not a cheap pandering feeling.

I happened to be the final out of the game (I got pegged out representing the tying run). And when we lost, I had perhaps a brief sigh of failure before turning to the overriding sentiment we all shared: SUCCESS! WE HAD COMPLETED A GAME!

I had participated in one of humanity’s longest standing art forms: Sport. Whether to stay physically fit, for enjoyment, or to practice necessary survival skills like hunting or combat, Sport is an all time great achievement of our species.

Knowing I had been part of a successful execution of a single game of kickball was so satisfying, I did not care at all that we had lost.

This is why the Olympics are so important. Sport is happening. Peace is happening.

So much value is placed in winning and that is well and good (it is PART of Sport: to win), but if we do not value the ability to even execute sports, if there is no greater society to functionally host, or if cheating destroys the entire foundation and spirit of a game… then winning means nothing.

The real victory is having any games at all and completing them properly.

This goes for politics as well: the real victory is having a system that allows for fair elections and functioning government at all.

My biggest takeaway from this simple, kickball game is that I will teach my children to play hard, compete with everything they are capable of, and give every last ounce of life to their pursuits – Sport or otherwise; but to value the higher morality most of all: that we even get to play the game – Sport or otherwise.

DIPLOMACY AND WAR: KNOW THE DIFFERENCE

by with 5 Comments CultureFeatured

If you find yourself in a conflict with someone else and you can’t escape, there are two options:

  1. Convince your opponent (Diplomacy).
  2. Force your opponent (War).

DIPLOMACY…

Convincing requires tact and patience. You must determine “what is right?” instead of “who is right?”

You should always give your opponent the benefit of the doubt. Be polite because antagonizing someone will only make them become defensive and dig into their position instead of considering yours.

Do not be the criminal defense attorney whose job is to defend a client even if guilty. If truth is your goal, you should cling stubbornly to no position on any issue. Always concede a good point. Listen.

Effective Diplomacy will hopefully produce a positive or at least neutral result for both sides. But if no agreement or compromise is possible, War might be the only option. 

Related: America, Why So Stubborn?

WAR…

If you must fight, fight to win. Do whatever it takes.

“That’s unfair.” Of course it is. Fairness implies rules. In War, there are no rules. You win or you lose. You live or you die.

During the American Revolution, the British Army thought that the “fair” way to wage War was to line up and shoot at one another with muskets until one side was dead. The Americans instead used the military tactics of the Indigenous Peoples and fought “unfairly” by employing Guerrilla Warfare (ambushes, sabotage, raids, hit-and-run) breaking with British Military Traditions. Spoiler alert: The British lost.

The people in power (the status quo) want to dictate the rules of the game and ensure that they always favor themselves. They want everyone to line up with muskets and fire at each other until the side with more muskets wins. Guess who has more muskets?

Hypocrisy does not matter in War because the highest morality is victory. One side will outlaw protesting, but immediately protest when out of power; condemn hate speech, but say the most vulgar things about their enemies; lambast the media for being biased, but endorse all favorable coverage; point out every time their enemy lies, but lie a hundred times more. It is foolish to point out your enemy’s inconsistencies when they only care about beating you by any means necessary.

Perhaps you feel that moral consistency is more important than victory and that certain actions are off the table. But as you consider this, also consider something as “unquestionably wrong” as committing genocide, and then please enjoy another day of extreme peace, prosperity, and comfort inhabiting the lands of America’s Indigenous Peoples.

Moral consistency matters amongst friends and allies because developing trust is paramount to building relationships. But enemies will not respect any moral boundaries that you believe to exist.

THE DIFFERENCE…

I am not advocating for violence. I am advocating that we all recognize the vast difference between War and Diplomacy and know when to use which.

Diplomacy, if possible, is always the best solution. Even the greatest military strategist of all time said:

“The supreme Art of War is to subdue the enemy without fighting.” ― Sun Tzu, The Art of War

For if you choose War against a potential ally, you may create an enemy.  And if you choose Diplomacy against a certain enemy, you may lose before the War even begins.

The genius of America is that our government allows War to be waged first at voting booths, in courts of law, and via public opinion. Though non-violent, these are battles none-the-less that require a deep understanding of warfare in order to win (I suggest reading Sun Tzu and Machiavelli).

46% of Americans did not vote in 2016 so stop trying to get your enemy to philosophically agree with you (when they have proven they will not change) and start inspiring your allies to vote.

Ignore any talk of “fairness” from your opponent. If a tactic is working to your advantage and your allies endorse it, keep using it. Your enemy will never endorse your tactics, fair or not.

But, above all, know who your enemy truly is and fight them (at the polls). Politely engage potential allies. Know the difference. Good luck. 

This article was originally published on 14 June 2018.

Surviving R. Kelly… You Knew And Said Nothing?

by with 4 Comments CultureFeatured

Surviving R. Kelly aired last week. A 6-part documentary that shook the country and had everyone talking. The details shared in the documentary were tragic, infuriating, and triggering from many victims of sexual abuse… physical, sexual, and mental abuse, isolationism, starving, total control, and complete brainwashing. Whether the documentary was good is up for debate, but it did allow these victims and survivors to tell their story, and that is and should be the most important takeaway. 

Let’s assume everyone has heard of his predatory and sexual abuse allegations over the years. But when he surprisingly beat his case, and released instant classics like Ignition (Remix) and Step in the Name of Love, many of us let go of the allegations in favor of his music catalog, which inevitably continued to fund his sickness. That’s a hard truth, because while the outrage from seeing the documentary is genuine, it’s 10-20 years too late, and because of it dozens if not hundreds of more young girls were likely abused. 

Black children, Black young women, deserve better… from society, and specifically everyone who was in contact with Robert Kelly and witnessed his behavior… from his managers, assistants, producers, label-mates, other artists, Sparkle, close friends, many of these girls parents who thought their daughter was the next Whitney Houston and despite knowing Robert’s past believed he could help their daughter reach stardom, everyone of-age who witnessed such behavior at parties and decided not to speak up, and so on… over 30 years, that list is long.

Numerous people in the documentary mentioned seeing or knowing of him visiting Kenwood High School as a grown man. You were cool with that? You knew he had a bed in the middle of his studio and witnessed young girls constantly around him and at the studio, some as young as 12-years-old, and you were cool with that? Yes, clearly you were because you continued to let it happen. Shame on you and your lack of morals and courage. 

Robert Kelly directly and indirectly fed and supported a lot of people through his ingenious music ability, and unfortunately, that was more important to them than the safety and protection of these girls. Even Sparkle, who witnessed his activity over decades including the slave-like treatment of his ex-wife Andrea Kelly, thought it was a good idea to introduce her niece to him in hopes of her making it big. Epic fail; she ended up being one of the victims filmed on the infamous sex-tape, excuse me child pornography, that was leaked and seen by millions.

They all deserve to go to jail. 

In a society where criminal injustice and institutional racism is evident at every corner, we must ask ourselves… if these girls were White, would Robert still be abusing girls today? Would he be a free man and up to last year still booking shows and writing music for other mainstream artists? 

Robert Kelly is apparently not doing too well financially. And movements of protest to stop his shows and digital streams are finally beginning to gain traction. 

While many are frustrated and searching for answers, some, on the other hand, are blaming the victims, giving excuses, and attempting to justify Robert Kelly’s nearly 30-year run of abusing minors. These girls weren’t fast nor were they chasing stardom and therefore deserved such abuse. They were taken advantage of by a predator and a lot of adults willingly let it happen. That simple. There are Robert Kelly’s all around us. If you know one, if you see one, or if you know a victim who might be in a similar situation, speak up and try to assist. There is no amount of money or friendship strong enough to allow the abuse of a minor.

What Are We Doing?

by with No Comment FeaturedPoliticsTrump Administration

Seriously…what are we doing? Are we ready to talk about what’s happening to this country? Like, REALLY talk about it?

These last few days, this last week, month, two years, have been tiring to say the least. Democrats won control of the House – that’s great – but are they going to make effective use of their political gain? The win is not progress enough, something real and tangible needs to happen. 

In the last few weeks, bombs were mailed to Trump’s political opponents. Black people were targeted and murdered in a grocery store after the shooter couldn’t get into a church. Eleven Jewish people were killed in yet another shooting that was not only en masse, but an anti-Semitic hate crime. A mass shooting at a yoga studio. The individual callout of each Republican who did not support Trump lost their seat. Trump completely disregarded the reality of the election outcomes. Not to mention, forcing Jeff Sessions to resign… 

I can’t even begin to detail the laundry list of other hate-filled heinous acts or misguided (at the least) political bungles that have occurred on both small and large scale since the beginning of Trump’s Presidency. Can we talk about Trump’s rhetoric, what it’s doing to this country, and why half the country seems to have no qualms with the lack of morality and ethics left? Yes, the win Tuesday night is progress for Democrats, it’s moving forward and that’s terrific. But the long haul is not close to over and winning the House is not enough. If we don’t deal with what is really happening, we have a long road and a dim future ahead. 

Looting… Crime or Survival? The LCR Weighs In…

by with One Comment Uncategorized

In the past few weeks, the Caribbean has experienced devastating hurricanes, which has caused millions to lose electricity and access to necessities like food and gas. Do you think looting, particularly stealing food, in the aftermath of such extreme weather, should be considered a crime?

We asked several of our contributors from across the political spectrum this very question, and this is what they had to say…

“Islands in the Caribbean are facing a major humanitarian disaster in the wake of the recent spate of hurricanes. This has forced some residents to loot and steal food and other necessities in order to survive. When you have no food or water your government has forgotten about you, and you have no other options – it is no longer looting, it’s self preservation. It’s the job of the government to ensure that its citizens don’t have to resort to such measures. If the government is unable to do so on its own then the international community has a responsibility to assist them.” – Center Left College Student  

“Post-disaster looting is often polarizing: it’s an either-or scenario: loose morals versus survival instincts. I have personally witnessed firsthand three major hurricanes on the Texas Coast: Rita, Ike and Harvey. If coastal cities such as Houston are not adequately prepared for natural storms given their geographic location and flat lands, at or below sea-level, then they should be prepared for citizens’ survival instincts to kick in. Food banks and shelters should be stocked and ready, given the cities flood-prone nature. It’s important to distinguish between taking resources for survival and non-essential luxury goods. With normal life disrupted, and no way to pay for the goods, people may just take what they need to keep living. We can debate whether or not that is really stealing, but if it were me, I would take cheese and bread if I could not get to a shelter. A Rolex; however, is a different story.” – Right Southern Female 

“In the aftermath of a natural disaster, the looting of basic, immediate necessities (food, water, clothes, supplies, and shelter) can be condoned and possibly forgiven. It’s the looters’ pursuit of long term gains (high priced, non-essential luxury items) at the expense of citizens and businesses that should be treated as crimes, just as if the disaster had not occurred.” – Unaffiliated Humanist Musician 

“If you think of looting in a very narrow sense, I assume that one would call it a criminal act. Although the word “loot” has such a simple definition, in devastating situations such as in Puerto Rico currently, the act of looting to survive is not so cut and dry. People need to live. Plain and simple. And although a systematic distribution process would be the best way to ensure that everyone would receive what they need to survive, human instinct will not allow calm and rationalization in such an extreme crisis. Taking items such as food or medical supplies to assist your family should not be considered a crime under these circumstances; however, if it is shown that these scarce resources were stolen for any other reason, then criminal penalties should apply.” – Apolitical Elected Official

“The Caribbean is a collection of islands where the majority of residents are living well below the poverty line. Most of these people cannot afford a moral dilemma. I liken it to poaching the king’s deer in a medieval forest or even stealing a loaf of bread in eighteenth century Europe. Les Miserables, anyone?”  – Registered Independent Voter 

“When people are suddenly hit with a major weather disaster, resources become scarce. Those effected are compelled to rely on assistance from other sources, which is where the governmental should step in. However, the government isn’t perfect. With that being said, whenever the government fails to respond adequately there should be leniency on the people. If there isn’t any assistance following a major disaster in a reasonable time, looting for food in particular should not be a crime.” – Detroit Democrat Male 

What are your thoughts?

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