From Mona’s desk Off the soapbox after these few words... and lightning bugs
This past weekend, during a phone call with my sister in Grand Island, I said something in passing about my column.
She responded with, “You mean your soapbox.” I said, “Yes, it was Star Spangled Banner, Part II.”
But I told her I’d be stepping down from that particular soapbox and move onto other topics. Normally she and I have pretty good conversations about how to fix the world, even though nobody of any consequence pays attention. We share a lot of beliefs and opinions but whether or not professional athletes should kneel during the National Anthem is not one of them.
Other than I think we all should stand at respectful attention during the National Anthem, I look at it this way.
If you are employed by someone other than yourself, by the simple fact you work for someone else, you are selling a certain amount of your personal behavior. For example, you agree to do a specific job, show up at specific times, maintain certain standards and, in most circumstances, you agree to represent your employer in the best light possible.
Why are professional athletes exempt from this? With the high-profiles that so many of them have, I would think they would have plenty of opportunities other than during the National Anthem to draw attention to their beliefs and causes.
Most of us who have drawn a paycheck from someone else over the years realize that there are certain things you just don’t do if you want to keep receiving that paycheck. One of those things is to toe the company line while on company time. I believe that professional athletes should do the same. For many of them, they are receiving a very fine salary to represent their team or organization. Despite all its faults, they also live in a very fine country. I say respect that country and its ideals for a brief minute or two before the game and take advantage of off-field or off-court opportunities to raise awareness of causes and needed change.
I think I’m back up on that soapbox now. Turning to other topics, have you seen the lightning bugs this summer? They are numerous and beautiful!
Lightning bugs are an instant trip to the past for me. Ages ago, our rural neighborhood would gather on the South Loup River for Fourth of July and shoot fireworks over the water. Lightning bugs were Mother Nature’s contribution to the light show. Dad would capture them and write our first initial in glowing smashed bug guts on the fronts of our shirts. After the evening was over and we were home, we’d all want to hang our shirt so we could see the glowing letter as we fell asleep.
Mom was the one who got to deal with the aftermath. I remember her talking about getting to be the unlucky one who collected the shirts, which were no longer glowing and magical, the next morning to toss them into the laundry. I believe her exact words were something along the lines of “Icky! Yeech!”
I’m issuing a fun writing challenge to Chief readers. Without using cliches, such as “glowed like diamonds” or “shone like the stars,” can you think of a unique and beautiful way to describe lightning bugs? What do they look like to you? If you think of something fun, send it to me at chiefnews@custercountychief.com or mail it in. If we receive a handful of them, maybe we can come up with a fun article on unique and creative ways to describe lightning bugs. (Just a warning, sending in the word “fireflies” won’t count!)!
Working on this challenge might just keep me off my soapbox...at least for day or two!
The 2020 Nebraska Legislative session is scheduled to resume Monday, July 20.
Senator Matt Williams, Dist. 36,
Room #1401, PO Box 94604, Lincoln, NE, 68509. Phone: (402) 471-2642. Email: mwilliams@leg.ne.gov
Sen. Tom Brewer, Dist. 43, Room
#1101, PO Box, 94604, Lincoln, NE, 68509. Phone: (402) 471-2628. Email: tbrewer@leg.ne.gov