“Making friends for the world to see

Let the people know you got what you need

With a friend at hand you will see the light

If your friends are there, then everything’s all right.”

These words are lyrics from a song titled Friends, recorded by Elton John, collaborated by him, Paul Buckmaster, and Bernie Taupin, released in 1971, and featured in the movie of the same name. It’s a song I’d hoped he would do at his Farewell Tour Concert Sally and I attended at Progressive Field in July.

I’ve liked this song since its release during my senior year in high school. I’ve always felt the lyrics of this song put to music, were words to live by, but especially the words of the refrain. Even though E.J. didn’t include the song in his concert playlist, it’ll always be a favorite of mine.

As with most people, friends are important to me. I have so many friends, from so many different situations of my life, and I cherish each and every one of them. I haven’t always agreed with everything my friends have believed in, felt, or said, but I’m okay with that, as I’m sure many of them have not always agreed with what I feel, believe, or say. Lord knows there are probably many people who probably don’t agree anything I believe in, feel, or say, but that, that’s okay too.

I bring all this up because we live in a time marked with obsessions of Social Media, where many people now engage in differences of opinions in areas including, Sports, Politics, Religion, Music, Film, even Food, among all the many topics debated in the many different platforms which include Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

I’m not a Tweeter, nor an Instagrammer, but I’m on Facebook, and it saddens me often to read back and forth banter on so many topics that appear on what I sometimes refer to as “Zuckerberg’s Folly.”

In order to get on Facebook, you set up an account, then you can post, load/share photos, instantly message, and react to/comment on, posts/photos posted by those whom you’ve friend invited, and who’ve accepted your friend request.

What began as a great way to connect with family, friends, friends of my family and friends, former students, athletes, colleagues, and people who could answer questions for us, quickly expanded to debating, sometimes nastily, on topics including sports, politics, religion, music, and big and small screen entertainment. It was also a nice way to send Congratulatory, Birthday, Anniversary, and/or Wedding wishes, or send sympathies or condolences, of offer prayers to someone we know personally, or to/for those whom we’ve friended on Facebook via connections, or groups of interests shared.

Somewhere, though, it became a “banter” ground where arguments threaten friendships.

As stated, it saddens me to read the angry insults, lack of respect for each other’s opinions, or choices, first, among friends people have had for many years, and second, among those who they’ve accepted as Facebook friends. It hurts me to read comments from some people who go way back to our St. James School days, arguing, often nastily, over politics, sports, music, and more.

I’m a registered Democrat. (Hope I don’t lose friends for that.) That doesn’t mean I vote Democratic across the board, or that I agree/disagree with every Democrat on everything they do or say. It doesn’t mean I disagree/agree with every Republican on everything they say or do. I try and stay clear of political discussions. What I absolutely won’t do, though, is throw away a friend because we may disagree on something, or someone, in the world of politics.

I’m a Cleveland Browns fan. (Hope I don’t lose friends for that.) Most who follow sports know the situation regarding the new QB of the Browns. As I’ve stated in a previous narrative, I don’t know if the QB in question is guilty or not, but my gut feels he did something that warranted consequences, but equitable to other consequences imposed for sexual offenses. The Browns did not cut the QB, as the Bills did their punter before any league imposed consequence was given to him.

I’ve read much banter about the Browns, and their fans, condoning the behavior of their QB as he is still on the team and is planning to play after his suspension is over. Many feel also, that the Bills showed that winning isn’t the most important thing. I heartily agree, but one could question if the same action would have been taken if it was the Bills QB who was accused of the wrongdoing, not the punter.

Say something bad about my family, “Goodbye,” but like politics, I refuse to get into the banter arena, insult friends, argue with friends, or lose friends in a disagreement over sports. I also refuse to throw away friends who disagree with some being lucky enough to get tuition forgiveness. (Hope I don’t lose friends for that.)

I pride myself on the number of friends I have and again, I cherish each and every one of them. With my friends, I’ve got what I need, they help me see the light, and they make everything all right.