In 1964, John Lennon and Paul McCartney collaborated on a song which was released and became part of the album Beatles ’65. The song was titled, I’m a Loser.

Throughout my longevity on this earth, I’ve often been my greatest critic. As a teacher, I’d self-evaluate what I did in planning, presenting, and following up. I’d constantly look at how I might have done something good and make it better, and how I’d take something with positive direction and intention that may not have been done the best way it could’ve been done, and do it better. I did the same thing as a coach, a fundraiser, a Director of a Summer Tutoring Program which I was part of for multiple years, as Director and Presenter of numerous Baseball Player and Coaching Clinics/Camps of which I was a part, and as a baseball official for many years too.

I was always aware I’d have others critiquing (terms like bum, idiot, and loser come to mind) what I was doing as well as myself, including supervisors and outsiders. Regarding many of the latter, I heeded the words of Theodore Roosevelt when he said,

“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”

I knew what came with the roles I chose for myself, and accepted it. I didn’t always like it, but took what was directed toward me because it came with the job.

Most recently, I saw a social media post stating that if I (meaning anyone who did) still backed a certain presidential candidate that I (we) could do this person a favor and (expletive) off. Literally. It went on to say that I (we) was Anti-American and deserved to experience whatever is coming my (our) way. It ended by calling me (us) a loser.

Now, I’m not saying I care much at all, for either choice we’ll be given in this year’s election, which I felt before the recent announcement, and still feel that way. I still haven’t made up my mind for whom I’ll cast my ballot in November, but I will be exercising my right to vote, and whomever I vote for will be my judgment free choice. I was given that right as a citizen of this nation outlined in documents that have served as the basis of democracy and decency in this country for nearly two and a half centuries, and I take personal offense toward anyone who refers to another as a loser for exercising any right given them as part of the building blocks of this nation.

It’s ironic that Theodore Roosevelt’s remarks were first delivered in Paris France, on 23 April, 1910. The irony is, I made this statement a part of my personal philosophy in many of the things I’ve done in my life, which I entered on 23 April 1953.

Also ironic is the fact that on the same day the “loser” post appeared on that Social Media site, another ditty was shared by someone else, which completely, totally speaks for itself, and if a rebuttal is needed for the first post, then this one would be a good choice for it. The second post, a short fable titled Don’t Argue with Donkeys, read,

“The donkey said to the tiger:

– “The grass is blue”.

The tiger replied:

– “No, the grass is green.”

The discussion heated up, and the two decided to submit him to arbitration, and for this they went before the lion, the King of the Jungle.

Already before reaching the forest clearing, where the lion was sitting on his throne, the donkey began to shout:

– “His Highness, is it true that the grass is blue?”.

The lion replied:

– “True, the grass is blue.”

The donkey hurried and continued:

– “The tiger disagrees with me and contradicts and annoys me, please punish him.”

The king then declared:

– “The tiger will be punished with 5 years of silence.”

The donkey jumped cheerfully and went on his way, content and repeating:

– “The Grass Is Blue”…

The tiger accepted his punishment, but before he asked the lion:

– “Your Majesty, why have you punished me?, after all, the grass is green.”

The lion replied:

– “In fact, the grass is green.”

The tiger asked:

– “So why are you punishing me?”.

The lion replied:

– “That has nothing to do with the question of whether the grass is blue or green.

The punishment is because it is not possible for a brave and intelligent creature like you to waste time arguing with a donkey, and on top of that come and bother me with that question.”

The worst waste of time is arguing with the fool and fanatic who does not care about truth or reality, but only the victory of his beliefs and illusions. Never waste time on arguments that don’t make sense…

There are people who, no matter how much evidence and evidence we present to them, are not in the capacity to understand, and others are blinded by ego, hatred and resentment, and all they want is to be right even if they are not.

When ignorance screams, intelligence is silent. Your peace and quietness are worth more.”

And by the way, I’m not a loser! ‘Nuff said!