I am a firm believer in equal rights. I took an oath almost 40 years ago that I would support and defend a Constitution based on that very premise. That all men are created equal (despite the reality of women’s suffrage and slavery at the time). We should be assured of equal opportunities to provide the best life for ourselves and families. A level playing field to start from a baseline to judge ourselves against and every tool available for everyone to reach those goals.
What I am firmly against is the system rigging itself to provide unequal opportunities or artificially assure success to a group to assuage the masses clamoring for a perceived social justice, often to try to ease their own guilt that the media or the masse have convinced them they should have. You or anyone else doesn’t deserve a special advantage to gain success. If you worked hard, did the best you could do within your abilities and tools, then you should have succeeded. If you didn’t, then it’s time to re-evaluate.
Color, religion, gender, sexual preference or other qualifier should not be a factor in any way, shape or form. Your talent, ability, drive, skill, desire and effort should be the deciders in your successes or failures. Don’t most people really want to feel that? That pure joy of success from working and gaining something themselves, without special aid?
I am afraid that we are raising a generation of entitled sissies. A generation raised on the premise that every single one of them is special, unique and deserving of every and all successes. I call it the ‘soccer generation’. Nothing against the game, but the leagues of youth soccer that promoted ‘everyone’s a winner for participating’ and losing hurts a child’s self-esteem.
You know what? Good. Losing SHOULD hurt. Winning should feel great. That’s how we learn. Did you lose? Too bad. Get better. Try again. Or don’t. Either way, no one had it against you. Work harder or quit. Or build on successes, enjoy them, help others, pay it forward and pay it back.
Be honorable in victory.
No one is coming to save you. And no one cares.
How hard would you play today if you knew you couldn’t play tomorrow?
Semper Fortis
Chief Chuck
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