Just Mean-spirited

My brother and I had a lot to learn as children about Good Sportsmanship. We fought like cats and dogs regardless of the result of the game. Dad would rush in and tear up the source of the fight be it a Monopoly game or Scrabble board. "If you cannot lose with grace," he would say, "then either don't play or learn not to lose." I chose the former with my brother who was the world's worst winner. He gloated. He was just a mean-spirited person.

I arrived at that decision after a childhood of watching him. He narrated his Ping Pong games like a sports caster, never lost with grace, never congratulated you on a game well played, or acknowledged your victory. He always gloated over his wins, and would rub in his opponent's mistakes for days. Maybe that is why politics make me cringe. And why I can no longer embrace Mrs. Clinton.

Yes, I have blogged here about how Obama has given me hope again but I felt that regardless of which Democratic candidate won I could fall behind the party as opposition to John McCain and another eight devastating years under a Republican administration. But I have to say that I find Hilary just plain mean-spirited. She did not last night, as tradition dictates, come to the mike and acknowledge her opponent's victory. And her negative ads are every bit as bad as we can expect from the Republicans in the campaign for the Presidency. This leads to not only the polarization of our country into Red states and Blue states but into those for and those against the Clinton machine.

But what does this mean-spiritedness say about our country? Nothing good. More of the same as another mean-spirited politician; G.W. Bush. If I was the leader of another country I certainly would not want to play with the United States just like I never wanted to play with my brother. We used to be good sports. What has happened to us? Do we want to win so bad we cannot be nice? Or do we see this behavior on the part of our leaders and follow their example?