Get Along

Written by Tom Being Tom

What can I say about 2022 so far?

We’re only one week into this new year and already stuff has happened. The anniversary of the January 6th attack on the Capitol, for one. I broke protocol and spoke my thoughts about that this week, here and on Facebook, and I only had one troll. I’m losing my touch.

Privately, my wife, who reads every entry but doesn’t do social media, told me she loved it but wished I’d fleshed it out more. She wanted me to talk about the heartbreaks of that day, the lost lives, the suicides that followed, the wider effects this had on people surrounding that event personally. She’s right. This event, this attack, this act of terrorism, was so pivotal, so powerful, so mind-bending, that it deserves more words than I gave it this week. You should, and probably do, know more about that day than I spoke about. But my intent was to give a very brief reminder of that day, and to use that reminder to springboard my larger message, one I pound the pulpit with repeatedly: get along. Get along with each other, accept that we have differences, discuss them as politely as possible, hug, and move on.

A great many tragedies came from that day. As a commenter pointed out this week, a great many tragedies happen every day, all over the world. Yes. True. But this day was about so much more than the tragedy, to me. It was about the message. The message of where we are going if we do not change our ways. Forget the messages of fools like Limbaugh and Trump, stow the divisive language, and … dammit … get along. For America. For the world.

That said – that being the biggest and most important thing this week – there are other things that should be mentioned:

  • Sidney Poitier died. I remember him most in “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner?” but, obviously, his illustrious career speaks for himself. He broke barriers in a time when we needed them broken most. RIP Mister Poitier.
  • Antonio Brown melted down. Again. We live in a society of second chances, but a man like Antonio Brown – just like a man like Donald Trump – reveals his true character over and over and we continue to give him credibility. Why? In Trump’s case it is because he says the quiet, angry things some want said aloud. They shouldn’t be, which is why most of us won’t say them or give them cred, but he says them anyway. But with his words he can incite a mob, give white supremacy a voice, and challenge legitimate elections. Terrible. And Antonio Brown? He can catch a football. He can get open and make a big play. So, we’ll give him chance after chance after chance, though his character – and perhaps his sanity – are seriously flawed. And why not, Tom? It’s not like he kneeled in front of a flag. We care more about fealty than character. We are the flawed.
  • The killers of Ahmaud Arbery got life in prison without the possibility of parole. Justice is served.
  • The Rams beat the Ravens. Now if the Rams beat the Niners on Sunday they win the NFC West for the first time since 2018, and for only the 4th time in the last 20 years. That means a lot to me.

Chapter one is finished in the 52-part Book of ’22. I hope it was a good one for you. I hope you paused to shed a tear of sorrow for those who lost too much. I hope you likewise shed a tear of joy for those who triumphed. I hope you hugged your friends, and enemies, too. However long we are all here we are all here together.

That’s what’s worth remembering.

“Come on people now. Smile on your brother.”

22 thoughts on “Get Along”

  1. Hey Tom, I’ll second your sentiments on the Jan 6th events. No it’s not patriotic, no it’s not exercising your amendments, no your not right following a false profit whose god is social media! Okay I’m done as far as that’s concerned, lol. Don’t even get me started on Antonio Brown, he was part of the Steelers and he left for being a douchebag as well. But I think there is more to his mental well-being than people think. There is something wrong with him and he needs to find some help and fast. I’m happy for you and your Rams, LETS GO RAMS! What do you feel about Kurt Warners movie, American Underdog?? I’m not a Rams fan (Steelers obviously) but I’m a huge Kurt Warner fan! Love him and his film is moving and poignant, no spoilers..lol.

    Liked by 1 person

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    1. I haven’t seen it yet! I do happen to know the story pretty well; hell, I was there to watch every second of it then! I really do want to see the movie, though. Damn, we blew it when we let Kurt get away…

      But Antonio Brown? He needs to go away. Just like Trump. They both have serious mental issues, and for one of them it is probably not to late to seek help, but in the meantime their very presence in media is damaging to others. Stop putting him on talk shows, people! Stop sneaking into his hotel room, trashy internet queens! Stop signing him to contracts, Tom Brady!

      Sigh.

      And everybody get along. That’s what I want to say. 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

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  4. I missed Antonio Brown’s second meltdown, for which I am quite pleased. Mental health problems? Perhaps, but I doubt it. Narcissistic jerk is a more apt description.
    As for getting along… I try. I really do, and bite my tongue more than is healthy.

    Liked by 1 person

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  7. I’ve been wondering about these second chances myself. I don’t know Brown, but I know many other people, in politics mostly, who get first chances and fail, then get second chances and blow them, then third chances… Anyway, hugs! And smiles!

    Liked by 1 person

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    1. Brown’s not worth knowing, and those of us who do know all about him are worse off. But you get the gist. Why? When there are so many good people in the world deserving of good things why do we continue to shower some bad people with our adoration? Ah well. Hugs and smiles back!

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  8. I don’t think we’ve hit rock bottom yet. Hope I’m wrong. And I hope your Rams win the privilege of shivering in Green Bay the following week, assuming the Eagles don’t blow everyone’s mind and beat the Bucs

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