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Gallup Sun

Friday, Mar 29th

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You are here: Sports Bleacher Talk Make a Choice: Freedom or Security

Make a Choice: Freedom or Security

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Both words in the headline are used a lot these days. The problem is that few can really define either.

I have heard the phrase, “I’m free to do what I want,” that it sometimes makes me physically nauseous. The same goes for, “I’ll defend myself, my family, and my country to the last bullet.”

The two words do not fit well together, indeed they seem on opposite ends of the spectrum; almost oxymoronic in nature, with the emphasis on the last seven letters.

Both are responsibilities, though, just in different ways.

It was explained to me years ago that my freedom ended where another’s nose began. If you are having problems with this concept, turn off the TV and the computer and think about it for a while. Hint: my freedom should not impede on you, your speech, or even your actions. That’s all, folks!

About the same time, I was told that security began with me: lock the doors at night, turn off the lights, pray to God my soul to keep, and don’t worry about all the horrific what ifs that may occur. The planes flying at 30,000 are not aiming for your house and if they do drop from the sky onto your mattress, there is NOTHING you can do about it anyway.

Security implies rules and regulations, while freedom’s just another word for nothing left to lose. At least that’s what Janis Joplin sang about until she died young. Really? That’s all there is to it?

There was an old song that stated, “Love and marriage go together like a horse and carriage, can’t have one without the other.’ Freedom and security do NOT go together! They are opposites in so many ways.

Think about this the next time you hear one of our politicians espouse one course of action over the other. Both are necessary, but both need to be tempered with more far-reaching thoughts than today or tomorrow.

The sports side of my job will be slowing down considerably over the next two weeks. The only major local event until after the new year begins in the Wingate High School Holiday Classic. If you’re into a raucous basketball atmosphere in a closed space, this event might just be your cup of tea.

And Wingate High School has super facilities for such an event. The teams invited will all be playing at their best level of competition to attempt a championship win.

Hope you all have enjoyed the recent addition of Sports Results and the format used. As a one-man department, it is difficult to attend all the games, so unless coaches return calls in the individual/team sports like Wrestling and Swimming, little will be divulged for consumption. My philosophy has always been, Win, Lose, or Draw, athletes, friends, family, and fans want to see what happened as well as they can. And only a very small group does not enjoy their names or pictures in a publication.

I sincerely hope that 2015 has been good to all of you. Life can sometimes get you down, but keep in mind that cycles have ups and downs, like a tire that is only flat on one side. Next year can be the best, or the worst or somewhere in between. Hope to see you in the bleachers!