Coach Smith’s thoughts on Election 2016

INTRODUCTION TO A MOST SERIOUS MATTER:

An impending day is upon America. This does not refer to a day of disease, calamity or ruin. It does refer to an impending day of great importance with immense significance with the greatest of possible consequences in areas of either accomplishment or travel down a path of destruction.

The discussion of politics on any level beyond a few and rare comments of the local level has not been forthcoming in comments by this writer. There will be no personal opinions or preferences made in words written today.

As most readers know, in a few days Americans will go to voting areas all over this country and primarily select the next President of the United States. Yes, the outcome of that election, as in all other presidential elections before, is fraught with significance.

I have heard the words up to this point; likewise, the writings and opinions expressed by hundreds of pundits have been digested. The process has been long and has become tiresome as to listening and reading. While this writer has burned away from nearly all comments and discussions, Coach Diane Smith has done an about face and can’t seem to get enough of the offerings on television.

Without expressing a preference, it seems beneficial to share a statement made by a writer a few days ago. It really is a strange expression to which I will give attention. I saved what was considered one of the best discussions of the two candidates and their “plight” in life and in their campaign. After attending to very many factors –both positive and negative-- of both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, the writer concluded with a statement to which I will give attention.

At this point I need to inject a distracting fact; It seems that a “maid” in my house did not approve of the collection and arrangement of my saved junk in my study and decided to straighten up and throw some of it away. Alas, that paper is gone and I don’t remember the columnist’s name.

Nevertheless, I remember the statement. So let me tell you that while I can say the columnist made both positive and negative observations of the two candidates, more were of their shortcomings, wrongs and failures than their accomplishments. With his conclusions he made a play with the expression “the lesser of two evils” and said of our choice we would be choosing between: THE EVIL OF TWO LESSERS: Readers can see what that writer’s opinion was of the careers, accomplishments and wrong deeds of the two candidates. If that “maid” had not waylaid my saved paper I would share some of the deeds with readers. The column was well written and it seemed to express the authenticity of affairs and actions of the past.

All of us have been confronted with the task of making a choice of “the lesser of two evils.” When that writer got through, any reader knew he assigned a rating below most that might pursue the highest office on the world stage. Without saying for which of the candidates I will vote let me simply declare I will vote for one of them.

Neither of the candidates project a look and feeling of a statesman (an image, if you please) – politician, yes; statesman, no. It is this writer’s opinion there were too many personal attacks toward the opposition than there were discussion of the real issues confronting the citizens of the United States and our relationship to other countries and other people in the world.

The statement the columnist wrote made an impression on this old man. It seemed to put the whole issue in the proper perspective. These words are not to promote an all-negative concept of the two candidates; not only that, there are several Democrats and Republicans who project a very dignified and statesman image. I think of Evan Bayh a former Democrat Senator from Indiana as one, among others, who project an image of dignity and wisdom. Note: That comment is made from a non-Democrat. VOTE YOUR CONVICTIONS: The persuasion of any reader’s preference has not been the purpose of any words written; nor will it be of the words following. I will give one observation of undesirability (making the “lessers of each candidate) of each candidate.

First, there is Hillary Clinton, the Democratic nominee. There might be many things to lead me away from her. The one thing (the main thing), and I would say it at every opportunity if I were her opponent is Benghazi. I would display at every public appearance the pictures of the Ambassador and the three other men who were slain in the attack on the American Embassy in Libya. This old heart hurts every time I see the pictures of those four smiling men. It didn’t have to be. What puts Clinton in the “lesser” class is her emphatic statement at a government hearing when she slung her arms and asked, “What difference does it make whether….?” It made a difference to the parents of those four young men. And, it makes a difference to me.

Then there is Donald Trump. The countenance or expressions he displays and projects seem to project a less than serious and knowledge of all involved in the governing a nation. Don’t we need to ask if he has ever been an elected official?

You have a choice. Believe me; I am thoroughly convinced we are going to “choose between two lessers.”