On this Independence Day weekend we celebrate our freedom, remember a bit of history and eat wonderful food. All of this is good. Even the rather dour founder John Adams called for feasting and fireworks to mark the day the Declaration was ratified and signed by John Hancock (others would sign on August 2). As I consider the history, the contrasts between our founders and today’s celebrity candidates are startling. Today’s leaders have access to the finest information, excellent living conditions and communication organs undreamed of in the 18th century. Yet even a cursory comparison unveils the unparalleled genius of the founder’s generation and the dearth of depth in our own. I am not deifying the founders – they were flawed and failed to confront the issue of slavery. They also struggled with hubris, image and vanity, warring constituents and competing agendas. But their breadth of learning – even among the unlettered – depth of thoughtfulness, humility before the Almighty and moral reflection stand in stark contrast to the narcissism and paucity of values characterizing much of our public discourse. Consider these contrasts:
Where Have You Gone, Mr. O’Malley?
My beloved Los Angeles Dodgers filed for bankruptcy today. Mismanagement and contentious divorce proceedings between the owner and his ex-wife have changed the team from a great icon of America’s pastime to a sideshow unworthy of a Lifetime Network movie. This is a sad day for baseball and millions of fans.
This event by itself is a mere footnote compared to our budgetary, geopolitical and military crises. Billionaire owners and millionaire players live in a world detached for most of humankind, the majority of whom need more sustainable economies, housing, water and opportunities.
But this soap opera is more than a mere news item on ESPN or the E! Channel. It is a sign of our cultural disintegration and our loss of any sense of the common good. Let me add that I am not pining for “good ol’ days” that never were, not am I making the former owners saints and the McCords the great sinners. The O’Malley family is still despised in parts of Brooklyn for moving the team to Los Angeles. The rich and powerful will always have drama surround them. What is lacking in current ownership is any sense of social ethic, any mooring that thinks of the fans or the game before themselves.
The moment the McCords could not reconcile their marriage, they should have invited Major League Baseball and potential owners to the table and worked on a transition plan that served the team. Instead, they have taken one of the most profitable franchises and made it a laughingstock. Chavez Ravine has gone from the most beautiful spot to watch a game to a dangerous place for opposing fans. Shame on you, McCord family. This is your doing and you cannot blame others. Greed wins the day and television watchers and ticket-holders who sustain the enterprise are left with little but vague hopes that Mark Cuban or another wealthy persona can come in and right the ship.
I am a proponent of free markets, natural pricing and a strong juridical system that will help enterprise be ethical while minimizing unneeded bureaucracy. This said, it is tragic to watch billionaires hold cities hostage while they squeeze tax money our of working voters for stadiums that many will never enter due to the high prices. I am apoplectic when I see players “re-negotiating” millions into more millions well before contract expiration. Yes, one should angle for the best deal; however, once signed, a contract should be honored and the player owes the fans and team her or his best. The unabashed narcissism is sociologically self-destructive as “each person does what is right in his own eyes.”
We need you, Mr. O’Malley. We need leaders with business sense, an eye for opportunity and a heart for the community and customers. Owners, your risk deserves reward, but much of the reward of team ownership is offering fans great moments of athletic prowess, positive team spirit and a focus on developing players. Lost in all the Dodger drama is the game itself. I share with George Will the firm belief that baseball is America’s game and the innumerable possibilities emerging from a single crack of the bat make it both cerebral and visceral in its delights.
Changing/Unchanging
Change is unsettling. Even in our hectic, global-internet world, we want some things to be stable. We hope we can keep our marriages and our friends, our church and community connections and perhaps our favorite barista! We enjoy hearing from fellow high school and college alumni and when we drive past old neighborhoods we instinctively look for landmarks of our history.
Why Not?
Radical Means Rooted
When we hear the word, “radical” we imagine 1960s hippies, Greenpeace boats or suicide bombers in burkhas. It is sad that this important word has been historically hijacked and used for extremism and fringe movements. The etymology of this word is “radix” or “rooted.” For something to be radical not only implies change, but change that is deeply rooted in unwavering principles. As we begin the marathon to the 2012 elections, I propose that candidates must be radical – that is, rooted in values and vision that can imagine a better future. Why should the crazies on the far right and far left steal a word that may be our best hope? It is tragic to listen to the inane commentary in all media. If someone is pro-life, they are part of the “Radical Right.” If someone (like me) speaks at a Tea Party gathering, I am pandering to “radicals.” If someone wants federal health care, they must be “radical left.” If someone voted for Obama (in a year that no Republican had a chance), they are unwittingly part of the “Radical Left.”