Life isn't Football

Have you ever been to a college football game? I don’t even like crowds, and yet there is something exhilarating about hanging out with 50,000 of your fellow fans, rooting for your team. The conflict is set, the stakes are clear. At the end of the evening, you’ll emerge victorious, or you won’t. But there’s always next season.

It’s especially fun in the student section, where enthusiasm is at its highest. You’re all on the same side, rejoicing at each first down, groaning over every fumble. If a call goes against your team, you all agree it was a bad call, because it’s your team, even if the replay does rather look as though the knee touched the ground. It’s all in good fun, because at the end of the day, it’s just football.

But I’m seeing the same behavior when it comes to politics. There is this bitter rivalry between the two parties, and everyone’s expected to root for the home team. Everything my party does is good, everything your party does is evil. Don’t show me the replay, because I don’t care. I’ll believe what my friends believe, because we’re on the same side.

Is it truly unimaginable that a person who believes women should make their own choices on abortion can also believe high corporate taxes are bad for job growth? Or that we spend too much on welfare and not enough on alternative energy research, or vice versa?

When a controversy pops up, do we really consider the implications, or do we blindly believe or dismiss information based on what our friends are saying? After all, if something is controversial, it usually means there are strong arguments on both sides. Hardy anyone’s against home-grown tomatoes or puppies.

It’s fine to have opinions. It’s fine to share opinions with friends. It’s not fine to marginalize or insult everyone who has a different opinion, especially when we haven’t researched the issue ourselves. Headlines aren’t a sound basis for policy-building.

If we want to vow unquestioned loyalty to the home team, there’s always football.

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September Giveaway

It seems the November Giveaway link in the newsletter is sometimes landing people here. Click on the BLOG link on top and the November post will be on top. So sorry for the confusion. -Beth This month, I'm giving away a copy of AN ALASKAN HOMECOMING and a string of hearts bracelet to one lucky reader. (US only, if someone without a US mailing address wins, the prize will be two ebooks). You must be a newsletter subscriber to win. If you're not already subscribed, you can sign up HERE . You must be 18 or older. Void where prohibited. a Rafflecopter giveaway

October Giveaway

It's getting cooler, so this month, I'm giving away a copy ALASKAN HIDEAWAY and a pair of fuzzy dog socks to one lucky reader. (US only, if someone without a US mailing address wins, the prize will be two ebooks). You must be a newsletter subscriber to win. If you're not already subscribed, you can sign up HERE . You must be 18 or older. Void where prohibited. a Rafflecopter giveaway He traveled 3,800 miles to be alone …but is it what he really wants? Relocating to Alaska after a family tragedy seemed an ideal way for author R.D. “Mac” Macleod to grieve in peace. But solitude feels overrated when Mac’s around B&B owner Ursula Anderson and her orphaned goddaughter, Rory, who’s already bonding with his dog. Worse, he’s imagining a future with Ursula and Rory. Is it time to finally forgive himself?

January Giveaway

For January, I'm giving away THE ALASKAN CATCH and a pair of fuzzy kitty socks to one lucky subscriber. (US only, if someone without a US mailing address wins, the prize will be two ebooks). You must be a newsletter subscriber to win. If you're not already subscribed, you can sign up HERE . You must be 18 or older. Void where prohibited. ........

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