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Mirroring Reality
This candidate for mayor of San Antonio may have failed the test of where to draw the line. How far will voters go?
Last week I told a story (see below) about where to draw lines on matters of convenience and ease. Well, last Friday, I read an article about Julian Castro, a candidate for major of San Antonio who couldn’t make it to the annual River Parade through downtown.
So what did he do? He sent his brother to fill in – only it was his TWIN! Unbeknownst to anyone but those on the parade barge with him, the twin was taken as Julian himself, the candidate. In fact, a television anchorman hosting the parade identified him as the candidate.
Now, this could be an innocent mistake. But, to me, it crosses the line. Here is a candidate running for mayor who sends his brother, a twin, to fill in for him at a parade. What are we to think? I can come up with all kinds of excuses and explanations, but each one begs the fundamental truth.
At a minimum, one would expect the mayor-to-be to make every effort not to appear as if he is trying to sneak one by the voters. His campaign could have easily told the TV anchorman, for instance, what was happening. But they didn’t.
And so what happened next? What every good campaign consultant would suggest.
Julian, and his brother, Joaquin, showed up at a press conference the next day in T-shirts, making fun of the situation and cracking jokes about it.
The line was drawn in the wrong place on this one. -
Choosing Our Field
What would be your first response? Would it be, “Screw ‘em”?
This past Saturday I showed up at 7:30 A.M. to make sure the field for my girls soccer team was all set. When I arrived, one field was lined; another was not.
So, I called one of the league commissioners and asked which field I was to use. The schedule indicated that it was the field with no lines; but I wanted to make sure, because the league had been wrong in the past.
When I talked to the commissioner, I couldn’t believe my ears: take the lined field, she declared, before anyone else shows up! Plant my flag, was the decree. Just tell the other team that they have to deal with the lousy field.
I said, “We can’t do that!” And she replied, “Sure you can. Just do it!”
Is this how I would have wanted any of the girls I coach to respond? How about my own high school-aged daughter? Is this what I would have wanted another coach to do, if he or she had arrived before me?
My league commissioner essentially was telling me to do what was easiest for me; my obligation to others was nonexistent. In my research, I find that many of us pursue this path. We are told we can have whatever we want, when we want it. We are a nation of consummate consumers.
Saturday morning I waited to make sure no other team was scheduled to play. Then my team went on to win 1-0. It was a tough game. The girls demonstrated what happens when they give of themselves, rather than just think of themselves.
So I leave you with this question: Where should we draw the line when it comes to choosing a field – and when do we say, “Screw ‘em”?