Saturday in the Western Region of the NCAA Basketball playoffs, #7 West Virginia upset perennial NCAA basketball powerhouse #2 Duke University, . The victory for West Virginia came two days after Duke managed to squeak by #15 Belmont 71-70, the final Duke basket occurring with less than six seconds remaining on the clock. Everyone goes after Duke and many people, outside of Duke's enclave and alumni, root for the other team.

During my career at IBM we experienced similar reactions - for a non-IBM company to beat us in a bid, whether it be telecommunications, hardware, software, consulting, etc. people outside of IBM and without knowledge of the environment often rooted for the other company.

In the USA, world leadership - unrequested but thrust upon us, Americans often experience this knee-jerk reaction to go against the USA. If there is anyway to criticize us, it is done, internally and externally. We regularly print half-truths and teach our children that we are really a terrible nation.

Being #1 makes an entity a target - goes with the territory. In Duke's case, they will feel bad, analyze what went "wrong," identify the positive and come up with a new plan. They will be back with force next season. For IBM, we lost sometimes, we felt rotten, we analyzed what went "wrong," identified what worked and went after the next bid. In both environments, people adapted.

My concern for the USA is that far too many, including most of those on the left, only look for what goes "wrong" from their point of view. They spread their negativity anywhere they can. They refuse to look at what worked; they do not appreciate the efforts of those trying to protect us. They ignore the good - it doesn't exist in their world.

Did you ever notice, none of these critics want to leave. Most do not want to return to a home nation. Why? They don't answer - oh they always have some American to blame and imply that if "they are in charge" everything will be better but massive replacements of anything rarely produce success. Not one socialist system has worked, not one - but many have resulted in millions, tens of millions of deaths.

If Duke players and coaches spent their entire season each looking only at their mistakes, if IBMers only looked at sales failures, if Americans are told and taught only what the press doesn't like, if Americans refuse to teach and learn what we have done well, and if in any of these areas someone tried to instill an unwarranted guilt on the team, the salesmen, the nation, in every situation, the individual and group loses.

The US remains one of the most self-critical nations that has ever existed. Because of this freedom of expression, people feel they are free to take shots at us without any obligation to place things in context.

It is time to realize that though we have much, we have never been an imperialist nation. We fix our major problems. We have advanced the cause of freedom everywhere. My foreign students remind me every semester - they come here for freedom: religious, educational, job opportunity, etc.

Maybe it's time those who are so negative, for whatever reason, to try living somewhere else - six months would do it. Maybe then, they will realize what we have is a true gift; that what we have is what so many people desire and our constant self-critiquing is just wrong. We are a beacon - we must keep the light burning. We must be responsible to ourselves, our children and others.

Labels: America

As noted here on Saturday, two key public unions (AFSCME and SEIU) along with other assorted unions and anti-war groups used members' dues to stage a rally (?) on the steps of the MN Capitol in St. Paul. Since some union members do not support these causes, is this a fair use of their dues?

A second point is interesting. This particular anti-war assemblage spent weeks weeks planning, contacting members, etc. However, it would take a very large imagination to call this rally a success - max, 300 people. How many thousands of members comprise AFSCME and SEIU, not counting the other organizations behind this event?



On the other hand, a stalwart band of military and mission supporters are beginning to appear at various anti-war functions. The base group, Families United, founded by MN's own Merilee Carlson who lost her son, Shrek in Iraq, organized a quick response. Though the group was small, it made an impact.


The anti-war crowd is not used to seeing any opposition but now supporters of our troops are pulling together. These people realize we are in a fight for freedom and civilization.

Everyone wants peace but once peace=pacifism, freedom for all, including the anti-war crowd, is at risk of disappearing. As long as there are those who wish to destroy us and suppress others' beliefs, someone will have to take a stand. Right now, it's the US.

Labels: America, US Soldiers

September 12, I had the privilege of attending a Star of the North awards ceremony for constituents of MN's Second Congressional District. As Representative John Kline said, there are all kinds of people who find a need and out of caring and love, volunteer and find a solution. Because of the selfless acts of so many, his office established a program to honor many of these doers.


Awards were given to 43 people who had done something out of the ordinary, reached out to others or saved a life because of their calm thinking. Honorees included:

A four-year-old boy who saved his mother's life after she had a diabetic attack; he called 911 and forced her to eat Reese Peanut Butter cups to stabilize her sugar.

An 11 year old whose mother collapsed; he called 911 and then got his younger brother and sister into another room, loaded a DVD, told them to stay there; returned to his mom until paramedics arrived. (Both moms are fine.)

A high school girl who launched a drive for prom dresses for victims of Hurricane Katrina.

Lakeville police who raised $50,000 for Special Olympics by jumping into a frozen Lake in January.

Multiple small groups that had fairs, benefit dinners, and other fetes to help families defray large medical expenses.

One woman donated a kidney to a complete stranger. Another child offered her hair to Locks of Love.

Another child has collected pop tops for the Ronald McDonald House.

A senior citizen reads to school children weekly.

Yes, I got an award for my four plus years of shipments to American soldiers in Iraq.




This giving attitude followed with actions is rare, period. In too many places on the planet, the government is the main source of help, not individual citizens. In 2006, a friend of mine had a young adult nephew from Norway visit him. They went to the Science Museum in St. Paul, a place staffed with many volunteers. His nephew asked what a "volunteer" was. My friend explained. The nephew replied, "Oh, we don't do that in Norway, the government takes care of all this." If we let our government take over too much of our society, we too will lose contact with our neighbor; we will lose the incentive and eventually the ability to help friends and strangers in need.

We need to remember: Part of what makes America exceptional are people like these honored tonight. It's these big and little actions that count. Our kind of thinking, generosity, just "do it" attitude is NOT universal but it IS American.

Labels: America, giving, volunteers