Where Have You Been? Coppa del Mondo

I know I have been less consistent with my writing the last few weeks.  To be honest I have been captured by the World Cup.  I have watched more hours than I can count.  It has shown how the world could exist together.   I know it is expensive and FIFA is making an embarrassing amount of money. However, the idea of all these cultures and loyalties being crammed into massive stadiums with heat, humidity, uncomfortable waiting, and commuting, yet managing to watch together is an amazing experience and demonstration of what is possible.  Even if only on the big screen, it still feels possible.  If the world were left to the people watching these games, we would be so much better off.  For the most part the “great” leaders of the world were not in attendance.  The one exception is “the orange man” who just had to find a way to make it about him.  Sadly, I would like to think that his horrible karma contributed to our wonderful USA team being shown the exit.  Fortunately, it was the world that took center stage and all the wonderfully diverse countries brought together to cheer their teams to victory.  In defeat no one burned the place down and in victory the joy was contained and respectful. 

I wanted the 250th Birthday of our great nation to be celebrated in that fashion.  However, leadership could not take a cue from the World Cup and had to make it a political event.  The opportunity to celebrate our independence became just another 45-minute campaign speech.  How sad it is, that our leaders could not take this opportunity to truly embrace the goal that “all men are created equal” – “endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights”.  The great experiment is sadly challenged.   

Rather it is the World Cup that has given us the visual example of these truths and the practical example that even for a moment we can exist together while holding on to our individuality.  Thankfully it was the international celebration of the World Cup that gave us the opportunity to see what it would be like if we only…..