MAR 28

Fair and Balanced

In spite of the old adage, never discuss religion or politics, I feel very strongly that we must be willing to listen to opinions other than our own if we are to understand the process that determines the laws under which we live. Although I have a blog that allows me to talk about my views, I have to constantly remind myself that just because I like something or dislike it, doesn’t have the slightest bearing on what someone else might think.

My friend Chester Miller reminded me of this just recently, and it has given me the impetus to make sure people with views that differ from mine, have a voice in my writing. It is in this spirit that I called another old friend and asked him to share his thoughts on the upcoming Presidential election. At first, he was reluctant to do this. When I asked why, he replied, “Because it’s only going to piss you off.”

That made me think about my own ability to hear someone who disagrees with me. I assured him that I was truly interested, and needed to hear what he had to say. I’ve known this guy forever; we played high school football and shared classes and friends since childhood. He is very intelligent, served his country in the military, and had a successful business career. He is a solid citizen and not an ideologue.

He started by pointing out that I had said that there was no scenario in which Donald Trump could possibly be elected, then went on to tell me why I was wrong. He told me that there are worlds of people who could never vote for Hilary Clinton. When I asked why, he replied that many middle of the road voters, those who actually decided elections, were unwilling to vote for a person who had caused the deaths of Americans by revealing classified information in her emails.

He felt that there was a better than good chance that James Comey, the director of the FBI, would make public the evidence that would bring criminal charges against Hilary, and that this would happen before the election. He then went on to talk about the deep sense of despair that most voters feel about our current government, both Republicans and Democrats. “It’s time to throw the whole bunch out and bring in someone willing to change the system.”

I asked if he were willing to elect someone with no previous experience and no track record on affairs of State. He replied that he was not only willing, but eager to see a new leader take charge, and the risks were worth taking. He also pointed out that Donald Trump was already rich, and wouldn’t need to feather his own pocket.

While he was talking, I could sense the anger and frustration in his voice, and I realized that he was right about one thing. There is a way that Donald Trump can win in November.

GREAT MOMENTS IN SPORTS

No. 7  “The Greatest Game Ever Played”       Dec 28, 1958   Three days after Christmas, the New York Giants met the Baltimore Colts in Yankee Stadium for the 26^th NFL Championship game. In 1958, Pro football was not such a big deal. I was home from Mississippi State for the Holidays, and my Dad asked me to watch the game with him, rather than go drink beer with my friends. It was hard to deny the appeal of NFL football after watching the game.

Baltimore won 23–17 in the first ever Championship game to go into overtime. The game was played in the trenches, and it was a brutal defensive struggle. There were seventeen future Hall of Famers participating, including New York’s offensive coordinator, Tom Landry and their defensive coordinator, Vince Lombardi. This is the game that launched the NFL as a national attraction.

pixabay.com