The other day I really begin to antcipate the coming of pro football. I participated in a few fanstasy football drafts, made a friendly bet with a freind that my team would do much better than last year, and looked forward to being with friends on a Sunday afternoon. You know, sports are a great thing. You can't predict the final record of your favorite team, but you can be sure that the basic rules that were there last year will be there this year as well. I can say with almost absolute certainty that sports has a commitment to transparency, like no other facet of our society.

A simple example; batter hits a ball in the air, catch it in your glove and that is an out. Kick a ball with your feet, and the person who tries to block it (they can use their hands) misses it, and its a goal. Same amount of points are given for a goal, touchdown, two or three point baskets made every time.

Now the rest of society preaches the same commitment to fairness and consistency, but after the preaching, that is where the ball is dropped.

For instance, our society screams incessantly about the virtues of a proper education. We place sayings of T-shirts like, "School is cool", and "Only Dummies Drop Out". Yet when city, state or federal budgets have to be cut, education is the first to go.

When the legalization of Marijuana is brought to the ballot, you'll hear the cries, "What about the children?". I guess we don't want our children high, but we don't mind if they're uneducated. Still where is the commitment to stopping the evils of drugs, when you can go to any store and purchase alcohol and tobacco?

Lastly, what happened to America being the place of the free and the brave? You know, the America that allows all of us to share the same rights as the next citizen. I guess such lofty ideals do not include those that would dare to engage in Same-Sex Marriage. Those individuals that are our friends, that contribute to the wealth and strength of this country

I had a person tell me how he could not stomach the loss of life that happens evey day at an abortion clinic. I responded by asking him, "Then you must also hate loss of life brought about by the current wars?". He responded, "No, that is in defense of our country." I thought that the loss of a life, was the loss of a life.

I have come to realize that there is not a committment to the "absolute" of logic. Being American does not mean that you are one of us, the evils of drugs do not pertain to those that cause cancer or alcoholism, and the value of an education are for those who can afford it. I have also come to understand that fear, prejudice, and greed can sometimes prevent us all from seeing the other's side.  Maybe we all shouldn't be committed, maybe we should all be tolerated (at least at first).