I know sports are important to many folks...me especially. The NFL, NBA, and NCAA basketball/football are great escapes and just a joy to watch. You can't beat an exciting fast break in basketball or great last minute drive in football. An awesome dunk or perfect spiral are truly wonderful. A big block shot or bone crushing hit are unbelievable. However, some things are more important than sports...world peace, integrity, fighting diseases like cancer or AIDS, raising your children or taking care of your family. So, let's put down the remote, turn down the ESPN talk radio, turn off the DVR, pause Youtube, and minimize the sports websites and talk about things that need to discussed....
Let's be honest, things in the world and in the USA right now are a little out of whack. Gas prices are way too high. Too many countries in too many wars or conflicts that don't make alot of sense. People are losing homes and jobs at alarming rates. Corruption at all levels of government. Unnecessary arguing and disagreement on important issues by government officials, elected and unelected.
I don't want to pick any certain issue or topic and make some impassioned plea for support or a donation.
What we need is perspective. I have mentioned this before when discussing sports. However, we need perspective at a global, national, state, county, city, and individual level. I know not all parties will agree and every society has those folks that are too stubborn to listen to what others are saying so there is no compromise. My hope is that there are enough folks with integrity and compassion to truly listen to other points of view and gain the right perspective to come to some difficult yet necessary decisions on the economy, world issues, joblessness, and other things.
We need some leader or group of leaders to step up and step out of the noisy arena of useless name calling and accusations to really work on key economic issues that affect the heart and soul of this nation. That would be jobs, gas prices, keeping homes, and things that are important to all persons of all walks of life. I mean these are important to the large business owner, the assembly worker, the teacher, the mini mart store owner, the actor, the bus driver and folks of all walks of life. But who will step up? Please, someone have the intestinal fortitude and leadership to confront the issue of lost jobs, high gasoline prices, and keeping homeowners in their homes. Don't blame anyone. Don't blame the refineries. Don't blames a race or religion. Don't blame big business. Don't blame Mom and Dad for making some bad financial decisions. Just work on answers that involve compromise, consensus and success. That means that everyone, and I mean everyone will feel some pain whether it be a political party, a business owner, a shareholder, a middle class worker, a union member or anyone else. We will never get total agreement but let's agree to disagree and at least tackle these problems.
So of these issues, take on lowering, controlling or fixing the gas issue. It is pretty easy to see that if gas keeps going up faster than the cost of living or any pay increase then people will have to cut back even more and that really hurts the economy. I didn't go to the Wharton School of Business, work on Wall Street, or even have lunch with Mr. Buffet. I am not really much of financial wiz on my own money, but I know that gas is something most of us need and use for business and personal reasons. We need it to go to work and we need it to run to the store. We use it to go on vacation or take our family to the doctor. It is not going away any time soon. Someone, a Senator, Congressman, State Leader or Governor, Cabinet Secretary, Business Leader or National Union/Organization Leader please lead the charge. I could, but not many people know or care who I am. Yet, someone with some clout and integrity could really make a difference leading a discussion with true benchmarks about our gas price problem. Even a slight success as stabilizing prices would be beneficial. Who can step up? Who will step up? Who will take a risk and understand that taking this kind of necessary step might mean you don't get reelected or your company removes you as CEO. Someone has to be brave enough, right?
Think about the possibilities if we just address the gas issue with integrity, objective compromise, professionalism, and respectful consensus. No name calling or accusations. No back door deals or backbiting. No giving in to lobbyists. Just reasonable discussion with intentions to listen and put solutions on the table in a timely manner. Wow, sounds so easy, but I know it is not. That is why I say this first step would be a HUGE accomplishment and set the tone and prepare the way for future debate on problems we face. Again, who is brave enough to do this?
I know not all issues may be able to be resolved like this. Certain morale issues are very divisive and should probably be the issues we tackle after our gas prices, home foreclosures, jobs and the economy. These would be marriage, right to life, immigration, etc. However, everyone who has an opinion on these morale issues is touched and affected by problems with our economy. Each of us has either experienced or know someone who lost their home. Or know someone who has had to cut back on certain necessities to pay for gas. Or someone who lost their job. Maybe this has happened to your family or maybe you.
Today, I say that all of us should look inward and gain our own perspective. Is there anything we can do to help. Of course, volunteer your time or donate goods or money for those less fortunate. Call up your friends or family who are hurting. Hug your kids. Kiss your spouse. Say I love you to your loved ones. Show up to work on time and work hard for your wages. If someone disagrees with you, don't get angry, show the ability to listen and use the power of peaceful persuasion. If multitudes of us act in this manner then it may set an example for our leaders and leaders of the world that we are tired of the insults, petty disagreements, name calling, violence, stagnation, and everything else that bogs down government and progress.
So to all leaders, someone please step up and take the lead without any expectation other than doing what is right. Here is to all of you out there who put others before yourself and love your families. God bless you and God be with you and all of us.
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