By James B. Ewers Jr. Ed.D.
It’s football season and of course you hear the word “sidelines” a lot. It’s a word that you understand regardless of your level of sports knowledge.
The television cameras will pan the sidelines many times throughout the game. You and I will see players and coaches talking to each other. You will also observe support personnel like trainers carrying out their duties.
All these engagements make football games even more exciting. You can only imagine what is being said. Instant medical decisions are made as well when players get injured.
During my career in higher education, I was on a few college football sidelines. Those were some great moments and many I remember like they just happened yesterday.
Now in 2026, we are on a different type of sidelines. Succinctly put, we are on the sidelines, and the American people are losing. There isn’t any cheering, no standing ovations and no winning streaks.
We have lost our voice of reason and defeat has crept into our psyche. Unfortunately, we have a losing mentality and that doesn’t feel good. Our lives are chaotic and crisis filled. There are no touchdowns, only low downs.
Going to the supermarket, we are being penalized. The price points for goods have us crying foul and there is no instant replay.
Political officials that are currently on the playing field in Washington and many states aren’t reversing any policies. We are simply stuck on our own one-yard line. That means that we have a long way to go.
Diversity, equity and inclusion aren’t on the playing field anymore. In fact, they aren’t even in the stadium. Life is far different now.
The rules have changed and the commissioner in charge doesn’t hear us. He is blowing a different kind of whistle and penalizing people is what he does best.
Where did truth and honesty go? Can we get them back? I believe that we can.
Our democracy is rooted in citizens following a set of guidelines and principles which have been around for over 200 years. Will they fail us now? No, they will not.
Some have attempted to tweak the democratic ideal. It is without question the forces of ill will have come calling. They call with false promises and pretenses.
They can’t win and they won’t win. However, some critics have said that our nation has become socially benign. We have fallen for a tainted bill of goods. Our voices have become silent. We don’t speak up and speak out as we should. Our position on rules and regulations has become almost mute.
Is this what we want? Is this the future we want for our children and grandchildren? They are watching our passivity and our lack of passion.
Despite the negativity, it is not too late. One of the most important elections in our lifetime will happen on November 3rd. Your vote and my vote will be important.
Over recent years, we have watched the slow erosion of truth and honesty. We have been bombarded with an unending stream of unethical leadership. It goes on and we pretend that it is ok.
The overall mood of our beloved country isn’t good. At every turn, we are beset with problems and no solutions. What happened to the land of the free and the home of the brave?
We have lost our standing in the world. Other countries look at us now with both contempt and sadness. That is my opinion.
The fabric of our democracy is torn and tattered. Too many excuses veiled as remedies are being given. America, let’s not continue to be maligned and motionless in our actions. We can do better, we must do better and we will do better.
