The Locker Room and The Senate

What does a college football locker room have in common with the US Senate?  Nothing you say?  That's probably true.  Or at least that's the view of most people.  But, let's explore this just a bit deeper.

The college football locker room is a sanctuary of sorts.  It's where 100 men (and maybe a few ladies) from all types of backgrounds come together to achieve a common goal - beat their opponent on the field of battle.  To accomplish that goal the 100 players, coaches, ball boys, medical professionals, etc., have overcome significant obstacles to rally together as a team.  Racial boundaries do not inhibit teaming, economic differences do not incite jealousies, religious views do not get in the way, and political leanings do not block the natural tendency of a sports team to come together on game day.  The enemy is very clear - it's the opponent on the gridiron.  It's not any member of the one hundred in the sanctuary, the college football locker room.  Diversity is a strength of the One Hundred.  Trust, teamwork and discipline are values learned and shared.  

Now let's look at the US Senate.  One hundred strong come together in the greatest place for debate in the free world, the United States Senate.  This is a place where open, honest, transparent discussion is encouraged.  It's a place where passionate, smart men and women enact laws at the behest of citizens.  It's a place where the very best of our country demonstrate leadership through sound argument backed by facts and persuasion of their fellow man.  Well, that's what it's supposed to be.  But it's not really a sanctuary, at least not anymore.  Too often our Senators spew vitriol at one another, treat each other as the enemy or worse, stand and talk as the cameras roll in an empty chamber.  It's no longer a place to get things done, to enact laws, to listen to opposing views, to rally together and improve the lives of citizens. Sadly, diversity is not a strength, racial barriers do exist, economic differences do cause jealousies, and the political ends of left and right no longer debate, no longer compromise, and no longer listen to one another.  

One Hundred come together in a college football locker room with extreme clarity on a common goal, work together to achieve it and demonstrate good values along the way.  One Hundred come together in the US Senate and show us everyday how small people can be.  It seems our children can learn a great deal more from a college football team than they can from our elected leaders.