Glad to be back after a five-day weekend “vacation.”
Rather, it was a “staycation,” for Holly and I didn’t go
anywhere over the Independence Day holiday. We did have plans to head back to
the Rapid River/Escanaba/Little Bay de Noc area of the Upper Peninsula that we
absolutely enjoyed last year, but the budget wouldn’t allow it this time
around. Perhaps in 2020 …
Anyway, it’s good to get back into harness today with both
the Morning News and Talk of the Town responsibilities. There were a lot of
things going on since the 4
th
that needed comment, but as it is
usually the case, there just wasn’t enough time, so here are some thoughts on
some storylines …
Nice to see the USA win the women’s World Cup football
(soccer) tournament. This team strikes me as similar in nature to the Pistons’ “Bad
Boys” NBA title squads of 1989 and 1990 in winning with an attitude. No way
were (and are) the Americans seen on the world stage in a good light, so why
not play up the “villain” role? The only thing missing was wearing an all-black
kit, a la Oakland Raiders.
I have no problem with the players not wanting to go to the
White House or dropping the American flag during Sunday’s celebrations. Having
sporting teams meet the President after winning a championship didn’t come
around until Richard Nixon’s era nearly 50 years ago, and it’s really no big
deal if teams or players want to skip out. It’s their loss in not meeting a
President, something not too many people in this nation get the opportunity to
do. It’s as much of a political statement to be seen with him as to not be seen
with him.
As for dropping the flag, it’s a matter of viewing it as idolatry.
Respecting the flag and what it stands for is one thing, but to literally
revere it as too many people do in terms of how to handle it does smack of
paying homage to it. He hates idolatry as much as He hates pride, and we believers
must put those aside in any and every instance…
As mentioned in an earlier blog post in discussing
hurricanes last year along Tobacco Road, there are times when it’s good to not
get out of the proverbial “Bedford Falls” of Michigan. Such was the case this
weekend when a couple of earthquakes (along with numerous aftershocks) struck
southern California. It may be a way of life there, but I’ll take the snow and
cold and humidity over the rumbles anytime. I remember feeling lightheaded and
a little nauseous when I felt a tremblor in Holland while in the WHTC Newsroom
several years ago, and I don’t want to feel that way again…
Finally, the brawls in Grand Rapids during their holiday
fireworks celebration shouldn’t come as a surprise. Just listen to the chat we
had with
Pastor
Willie Watt of Escape Ministries
on Talk of the Town last month about the
changing perception of police and authority by teens today.
In addition, the remarks by GRPD Deputy Chief Eric Payne
about the lack of parental supervision as a factor in the teen brawls struck
more to the actual core of the problem than perhaps he or others realize. If
the parents don’t respect authority, why would they pass that trait on to their
kids? If the parents didn’t have a great deal of supervision growing up, why
would they have such oversight on their kids?
Again, it’s nice to be back…
Thanks!
