BETWEEN THE LINES: Maintaining balance in life is challenge
As I traveled through the latter half of the 20th century and into the 21st, I have seen a nation that has become obsessive. In no place is this more apparent than sports. As a youngster, I looked forward to the college football bowl season, which after a couple of preliminary games ended with the four major bowl games Jan. 1.
The day started on the East Coast with the Orange Bowl, followed by the Sugar and Cotton bowls — which unfortunately were played about the same time so football fans needed to choose one since there were no DVRs. The games culminated with the Rose Bowl from Pasadena, Calif.
Today, the bowl scene has mushroomed into a plethora of contests over a three-week period aided by the onslaught of a variety of sports channels. Without a TV guide, it is almost impossible to tell who is playing and when.
On the professional side, the NFL has not only expanded, but along the way has become a cash cow. In the process, it has replaced baseball as the national pastime. The league has gone from playing almost exclusively on Sundays to three and sometimes four days a week. Fans also have participated by forming fantasy football leagues, which includes the preseason drafting of players.
While adults focus on sports, their children have allowed their lives to be dictated by the technological innovations ranging from cell phones to Xboxes. Little else catches their attention these days. Don’t get me wrong, innovation is a wonderful thing. When it seems to dominate one’s life, however, caution flags should be raised.
The environment is another battleground where people with opposing views have clashed. Finding common ground is virtually impossible.
In the political arena, the word "compromise" has become extinct, being replaced by finger-pointing and meaningless rhetoric. This deadly combination of escapism and political posturing could easily spell our demise as the problems of our society continue to mount. What America needs is a leader of the caliber of Winston Churchill, someone who can communicate with the people in a way they can understand.
Citizens of the United States are ready to be led by leaders who have the interests of the people at heart and are not driven by their own self-interests or personal agendas. We are seeking clarity and truth from our elected leaders, not campaign slogans.
As 2012 begins, we must begin to seek balance in our lives both as a nation and collectively as individuals.
A return to the Judeo-Christian values that steered our course in those early years of the Republic would be most helpful. One does not have to be religious to understand our country is better off being served by people who possess character and high principles; people who can be trusted to fulfill the promises they make on the campaign trail.
Laughlin is a Christian Libertarian. He is an economist, teacher, father, husband and most recently a grandfather. He has written a weekly column for The Tribune for 13 years. He and his wife Gina reside in Meadowlakes. To contact him, email ablaughlin@nctv.com. He is an independent columnist, not a staff member, and his views do not necessarily reflect those of The Tribune or its parent company.