Boy, do we need some role models

Some of us claim that the professional athletes such as Mark McGuire, Sammy Sosa or Barry Bonds fail in one of the purposes which we assign them. That is the job of role model for youngsters and society. It is alleged they cheated. I believe the three took steroids and I believe this is cheating because it leads to unnaturally enhanced performance. But the role model job is not limited to athletes.

Politicians should be role models and a few are. They don't get along and their animosity toward each other and the other party and their failure to reach a consensus hurts us. They use their positions for gain, they fail to promote open democracy.

I remember singing the song, “America the Beautiful.” I think the mountains, seas, skies and plains are part of our culture and heritage and I find it particularly unpatriotic that a senator can get up and apologize to a company despoiling our country. I find it equally unpatriotic to criticize a president who established a fund for those hurt by this disaster so that money would be available more quickly than through the courts.

The electorate should be role models. They are not in that they fail to vote or they are one-issue voters failing to recognize that compromise and consensus in a pluralistic society is good.

The legal industry seems to think that every problem needs to be solved with a lawsuit. Why can't neighbors resolve some their problems with a talk over the fence?

I am as far from perfect as Chicago is from Los Angeles. I hope that before I shake my head in disgust over someone or thing, that I will remember my pontifications here and stop and consider the other viewpoint. Having opened up my mouth I suppose I will have to try.

Boy, but aren't our troops in the field role models?

John Kloempken

Algonquin