Longwood offical: Respect is missing in today’s society
I went to watch and congratulate newly reelected Seminole County Commissioner Bob Dallari at his swearing-in ceremony Wednesday morning (Congrats again, Bob!).
I got stopped by a few people in the hallway leaving the commission chambers, where people were congratulating me and patting me a pat on the back for being such a “stand-up guy” and “good sport” for showing up in person to congratulate my former opponent in the August Republican primary for county commission.
I’m not sure why anybody would think I wouldn’t show up, quite frankly. But it got me thinking: Is that really where we are in our society? The lesson I learned as a 6-year-old playing youth basketball is that you shake the other team’s hands after the game and congratulate them, whether you win or lose. Is that now all of a sudden a rarity?
You congratulate your opponent no matter what, and you mean it. One of many things sports had always taught me is that you develop respect for your opponent after the game or contest is finished. You battle it out, and leave your best out there on the football field, basketball court or wrestling ring!
The political “ring” should be no different. As a former WWE superstar and American Gladiator, I have thousands of kids that watch almost everything I do. And if I can’t even so much as set a good example for my own 6-year-old son, Jackson, let alone those thousands of other kids that look up to me, then really, what am I doing here? I need to lead by example. I’ve always felt this way. And I’ll never stop.
That’s not a feeling of self-importance either; it’s a recognition of self-responsibility.
We live in some incredibly divisive times. No matter what political party you are in (and I’ve watched it with my own two eyes), our country, county, city, even our neighborhoods have become insanely divisive. Us versus them. Good versus evil. Good guys versus bad guys.
There are no gray areas anymore in how people judge others. In today’s society, on each side sits one of us who firmly believes we are 100% correct, and anyone that disagrees with those beliefs or opposing opinions must be just 100% wrong. I firmly believe we have to do a much better job of trying not to just paint each other with such broad strokes. It’s those gray areas that bring us together. It’s that very middle ground that generally unites us as one. It’s respect. So please, just because somebody is a Democrat or a Republican, let’s try not to be so quick to judge, or to believe we know all of another person’s personal beliefs or moral values. We don’t.
Instead, let’s talk to each other more. Let’s go and find out for ourselves about that other person’s values, opinions or stances. Let’s not leave it up to comment sections on social media. Let’s not allow whatever favorite news channels each of us like to watch dictate to us how we should feel about somebody else.
With social media being so prevalent in how people now get their news and communicate, I’m fearful we’re getting further and further away from those in-person conversations and losing that personal connection each of us feel through talking. I begin to feel respect when I’ve had a conversation with someone who holds differing viewpoints. We’re losing that ability to agree to disagree while still loving your brother or sister.
With COVID-19, I get that it’s harder to have those in-person conversations. So we have to try even harder and think creatively. Pick up the phone. Use FaceTime and Zoom.
At the end of the day, we are all God’s children, and no one of us is perfect. Not one of us has all the answers, either. But I do know we can all do a much better job in re-learning that respect we all use to have for each other, no matter what our differences may be.
Let’s get back to