By DR. LARRY MOSES
No one asked me but… Our younger generation has been taught that there are no losers in life. Everyone will get a trophy at the end of the day. Everyone should receive the same compensation no matter their contribution.
This last election came as a shock to their system. They were disappointed and so they threw a temper tantrum which always seemed to work on their parents. However, the object of their upset will not go away. Momma can not kiss it and make it better.
UNLV has established therapy sessions for those on campus that are unable to cope with the elections results. Colleges across the nation are canceling finals for those students who are so distraught they must riot, the maximum temper tantrum, and, therefore, that they cannot possibly take a final exam. Poor babies.
This is a result of years of not allowing children to fail. No child can be left behind. Every child receives a trophy no matter their skill level. Schools have a no cut policy for their athletic teams.
One might wonder how good Michael Jordon would have been if he had not been cut from his high school basketball team until he was a senior. Rather than seek therapy, he practiced harder.
I remember complaining to my dad that my older brother would not choose me to play on his team. My father’s responses was, “If you work hard and get better your brother will choose you. Now leave me alone. I am reading the paper.”
My youngest son joined a grade school baseball team. Their first game was against a neighboring town.
When the game was over, my son asked me, “Who won?”
I answered, “I don’t know. They didn’t keep score.”
His reply was “Then why did we play?”
Childhood wins and losses are the training ground for adults being able to handle successes and failures. Helicopter parents who protect their children from loss and disappointment do them a disservice.
Is life fair? No! Get over it. Is bullying fair? No! But if a child doesn’t learn to handle unfairness and bullying, when he becomes an adult he/she will be lost in the real world.
People are bullied all their life and one must learn how to cope with the bully. If you can not handle the bully in one manner or another, your life will be miserable.
The boss’s kid will always have an advantage over you. Is that fair? No. But, so be it.
Some people will not like you. So be it.
You may never have the power, money, or prestige you believe you deserve. So be it.
There are circles you will not be welcomed in; sometimes for legitimate reasons and sometimes just because of prejudices. So be it.
Look at it as their loss, not yours. Be secure in yourself and get on with your life.
No one asked me but… The Presidential Medal of Freedom is the highest award a United States civilian can attain. It was designed to recognize those people who have made “an especially meritorious contribution to the security or national interests of the United States, world peace, cultural or other significant public or private endeavors.” It was established in 1963 by President John F. Kennedy. It was to be the civilian equivalent of the Medal of Honor awarded to soldiers who were extreme heroes.
President Obama has awarded 125 Presidential Medals of Freedom (an average of 16 per year) and for the most part they went to his personal heroes.
In his speech awarding the last 21 Medals the President stated, “Everyone on this stage has touched me in a powerful personal way, …These are folks who have helped make me who I am and think about my presidency.”
By doing this, President Obama has personalized and cheapened the award.
One can hardly argue with the award going to Bill and Melinda Gates. Mr. Gates has donated nearly $40 billion to charity, and, now runs the world’s largest charitable endeavor which spends hundreds of millions of dollars in India and Africa to save children’s lives. The fact that the Gateses shared some of the Obama administration’s most important priorities, including its education and climate initiatives should not negate this award.
However, you must wonder how many of the other recipients qualify for an award for ….”especially meritorious contribution to the security or national interests of the United States, world peace, cultural or other significant public or private endeavors.”
While the award was given to some of my favorite actors: Robert Redford, Robert De Niro, and Tom Hanks I fail to see how these actors qualify for this award other than they are rabid supporters of President Obama.
Mr. Hanks and his wife were large donors to Mr. Obama’s campaign chest. Tom Hanks is involved in the development of Mr. Obama’s foundation and library. But these are not requirements for this award.
Lorne Michaels, the creator and longtime producer of “Saturday Night Live,” was also a recipient. He is a strong supporter of the President and his shows reflect this sentiment. One must wonder what redeeming value is to be found in this comedy show?
What has Diana Ross or Bruce Springsteen done to deserve an award that is the equivalent of the battle field Medal of Honor?
The President gave the medal to his golfing buddy Michael Jordon. Jordon is the best basketball player that ever lived but am not sure how this qualifies him for this award.
Kareem Abdul Jabbar was given the award. His basic claim to the award was that he is over seven feet tall and a Muslim who developed the “sky hook” while playing basketball for UCLA.
The President covered his bases with the homosexual community by giving the award to Ellen DeGeneres. He felt her announcing her homosexuality on her T.V. show somehow qualified her for the Freedom Medal.
Mr. Obama’s tribute to Vin Scully, the legendary play-by-play baseball broadcaster, noted that Mr. Scully’s career started at the same time as Jackie Robinson’s. Jackie Robinson may well have qualified for this award; but the announcer who did his games? Vin Scully was the best baseball announcer of all time, but I am not sure how this qualified Mr. Scully for this award that was to be the equivalent of the heroism of an American on the field of battle.
Thought of the week…”I don’t deserve this award, but I have arthritis and I don’t deserve that either.”
– Jack Benny
