I am together with my family. We are in Colorado, but it doesn’t matter too much where we are (though Colorado is beautiful and fun for outdoor activities). With four grown kids, the effort to all be together is a lot of work, and sometimes it only happens twice a year – around Christmas (my wife looooves chritmas and insists we all get together) and then again over 4th of July up in Maine, which has just become a tradition that we all love.
Being together is always an opportunity to be reflective. I miss them all; it’s a big, messy, fun, and wonderful family. I read an article today in the newspaper about a small town in Oklahoma. A mask mandate was proposed and it inspired incredible controversy. It became about so much more than a mask mandate, as so many people showed up at town meetings dressed in red in an effort to fight for what they believed was a way of life. They were of course all very conservative people who voted for Donald Trump and thought that they need to get organized and fight for the things they believe in. Some of that doesn’t bother me – wanting to speak up for what you believe in is an important principle about living in this country. What bothers me is how everyone feels they need to ’choose a team.’ Do we need to be ’red’ or ‘blue?’
Why do I have to pick a side? One of my oldest friends called last week to say hi and asked if I was still a socialist. He was trying to be funny and I asked him if he was still a redneck cracker in reply. We then talked for a bit about our lives and remembered we are friends, and even agreed on some things about the people running the country. I told him I hoped that the Republican party would develop and grow beyond the current level of vitriol and in fact I don’t see the Democratic party as being more successful in bringing people together.
I like picking a team when I watch football. My team is Manchester United and I enjoy following them. However, I also enjoy cheering for the teams my friends prefer and I never get angry when my team loses a match. Then I watch people in the USA who have chosen their team, either red or blue, and how difficult it is for them to have any empathy for those who cheer for other teams…..it makes me sad and disappointed.
I wonder – is it getting better? or not?
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