"You" vs. "We"

It's funny how, at times, several aspects of our lives coincide simultaneously. I know we often shrug it off as "multi-tasking", but occasionally it feels like much more. There are times when we just stop and we can't help but wonder if something bigger and deeper is going on. I had one of those moments this past week.

I coach my school's eighth grade boys' and girls' basketball teams. The boys' season just started Halloween week. It was that annual event, coinciding with our national election and its aftermath that has me writing. And worrying. That and a few aggravating Facebook posts. (Ironic, I know.)

I'm always amazed every year the wide variety of kids that make my basketball team. I get mama's boys, tough boys, wanna be gangster boys, and if I'm lucky, even a few athletic boys. Regardless of the kind of players that make my team, they all have one thing in common. No matter how poorly they treat their parents and teachers, they treat me well. 

Why is that? I'm their coach, that's why. I can start them or bench them. I can make them run and run and run and run. I can still even cut them from the team. They respect and fear me. Why? I'm their coach, that's why. Basketball is important to them. Even more than that, the team is important to them. So they act accordingly. Even when I insist they treat their parents and teachers respectfully, they do it. Even if they don't agree with everything I ask them to do, they do it. Because I'm their coach. They believe in me. And they didn't even vote for me. 

Which made me wonder. Why don't the rest of us do that after an election? Love him or hate him, Obama is our coach. Why aren't we believing in him? 

I saw the following "shared" post on Facebook today. 

"Congratulations to the Democrats and Young People! You now own it. The next terrorist attack, you own it. Can't get a job after graduation, you own it. Sky rocketing energy prices due to Obama's EPA shutting down the energy producing states, you own it. A nuclear Iran, you own it. Bowing to the Soviet Union, you own it. Another severe recession, you own it. A volatile border with Mexico, you own it. Trouble getting good health care, you own it. Higher heath insurance costs and health care costs, you own it. No budget, you own it. Our allies mistrust, you own it. Another trillion of debt, you own it...

President George Bush is out of it now, and there is not another good man for you to villify and lie about. In a way, I am relieved that another good man will not be blamed when it was impossible to clean up this mess you voted for. Have a good day. God bless the United States and Texas! God is our hope now."

There are so many disturbing comments in this post it's hard for me to think straight. To me, the biggest problem is all the "you own it" phrases. What happened to "we"? When are we ever going to stop blaming and resenting the other half of our population and starting working together?

I'm forty. I'm having a seriously difficult time remembering when our country was a "we" place. A team, in other words. It happens from time to time, most notably after a natural distaster or terrorist attack. We'll rightfully send money left, right, and center to help when a hurricane like Sandy strikes. Do we bother to ask if our money is going to a Democrat or Republican then? When we hear about a fireman swimming under twelve feet of water to attach a hose to a submerged hydrant so his comrades can save a burning house, do we exclaim, "I bet he's a Democrat!" No, we don't. Why not? Because it's stupid. That's why. 

I saw a "shared" video from Speaker of the House John Boehner who said after Obama was re-elected, "The Republican Party has work to do." Not the "country" has work to do. Not "Congress" has work to do. No, just the Republican Party. Meaning since "we" didn't win this time, we have to start trying to win next time. Never mind that Congress recently garnered a ten percent confidence rate among Americans. Ten. Dan Quayle had a higher confidence rating. Apparently, that doesn't concern Boehner, or anyone else in government. At least not enough to actually change the way things have been going. 

This week in practice, my team was running back and forth across the gym at the end of ninety minutes of practice. One of my players is slower than the others. By far. The rest of the team was done and he had four treks left. Four teammates joined him to help him finish. Then the rest joined. Then my assistant coach and I did. Fourteen of us, tired, sweating, and working together. To finish. Together. 

They could have waited and cheered him on. They could have ignored him and simply drank some water. They could have said, "You're slow. You own it." But, they didn't. 

Are we part of a huge, powerful team that could work together to get our country back on top? Or are we going to stay split up into smaller, weaker, bickering teams that drag each of us down? I have no idea. 

Until I do, I think I'll keep coaching my players. At least there I can see true teammates working together for a common goal. So we all can succeed. At least there I feel good that no matter who we face, we are winning or losing together. No matter what happens, we're learning and growing. Together. 

I think I'll look there for inspiration. At a middle school.