Exhale

I need to write about something other than the New Orleans Saints.

I rarely write about politics, because I believe none of what I hear and half of what I see. I think I’m just a natural born contrarian. (I know what you just said.) I find that the majority side of any issue is rarely the place to be, and my natural reaction to most political statements is “What BS!”

Sometimes I think the less Government does the better, followed by wondering why they never seem to get anything done.

My current concern was beautifully expressed by somebody I saw interviewed on TV the other day. I wish I could remember who he was to give him proper credit, but he talked about what he called “the sorting of America” in that we’ve all sorted ourselves into two viewpoints and they conflict so much that nothing gets done.

The contrarian point is one often expressed by another commentator who thinks there is only one party in America because both parties are beholden to corporations, so they manipulate everything.

Either way you look at it, I almost jumped out of my seat when I read this paragraph of Leonard Pitts' column this morning:

To listen to talk radio, to watch TV pundits, to read a newspaper’s online message board, is to realize that increasingly, we are a people estranged from critical thinking, divorced from logic, alienated from even objective truth. We admit no ideas that do not confirm us, hear no voices that do not echo us, sift out all information that does not validate what we wish to believe.

Have to admit that I found that rather profound. Just doesn’t seem like we as a nation think much anymore, or find ways to solve problems. Everyone just pounds away on the talking points. Where did our problem solvers go? Once I was told by someone that your sole worth to the company you work for is in your ability to solve problems. If you can’t do that, you won’t have a job long.

Made me think about Congress which increasingly resembles that scrum after the Saints on-side kick. Except there’s no ball in there – they’re just rassling.