Blood sport (and football)

November 4, 2012: I went to Lambeau field today, home of the Green Bay Packers, America’s team. They embody everything that is good and right. Having lived my whole life in Wisconsin it is easy to distinguish the good (Green and Gold) from evil (every other team’s colors). Aaron Rodgers is just…wholesome. Donald Driver is graceful under pressure. The Packers just exude goodness and purity. They proved their superiority by dominating 31 to 17 over the “bad guys.”

Sure, there was rough play, players were tackled to the ground. There were a few celebratory dances and leaps in the end-zone. But when someone got knocked down, they also were helped to their feet. You saw friendly conversations happening between the players. You saw a few tussles between the teams. The referees were respected (except when they made really bad calls, then the stadium booed). The players shook hands at the end of the game. We left the stadium, joyously triumphant, and appreciative of a game well-played.

November 6, 2012: I need to go to the polls and cast my vote for President of the United States. And pick a new Senator to replace retiring Herb Kohl. I am anxious for Tuesday. It’s been a long, dirty slog in the mud. There are pointed accusations, misinterpretations of intent and an underlying current of distrust. Unlike football, politics is not played fairly and this year, the vitriol feels amplified.

In politics, it feels like we lost our referees. Respected media markets are taking a pass on endorsements. The mostly right-leaning (Fox news) and mostly left-leaning (MSNBC) news channels would have us believe that the sky is falling, of course only if their man loses. We are divided, suspicious, disrespectful and scornful of anyone who expresses an opinion that varies from what we believe to be good and right. We are families divided, friends who don’t speak and workplaces with clenched teeth.

We are a nation that likes to win. But unlike the football game today where the players walked off the field shaking hands and sharing the camaraderie of a game well played, I fear that after Tuesday we will all be losers…no matter who wins.