State of our Union

“The state of our union is good” if you are talking about the recent Super Bowl. Not so good if you watched the action recently in the House of Representatives.

How can things “be good” when the President won’t shake the hand of the Speaker and she responds by ripping up his speech?

Whether you are a Republican or a Democrat this was a sad spectacle to behold.

On the other hand, at the Super Bowl, World War II veterans made the honorary coin-toss to start the game, America the Beautiful and the Star-Spangled Banner were sung, and then we were treated to one of the best football games ever. It was a battle between a mid-America team, Kansas City, and a west coast urban team, San Francisco.

Yet, nobody was shouting “coastal elites” or “mid-west rednecks!” Nobody cared about the Republicans vs. the Democrats. All in the stadium (and millions on TV) were experiencing America as it is and, in the process, enjoying each other.

There was NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell sitting next to an African-American player’s union representative. There was Coach Andy Reid being hugged by his black and white players after an incredible come-back victory. The game was a pure American slugfest followed by a hug-fest.

I didn’t particularly like the half-time show which I thought was a bit bawdy and risqué. Yet, some of the younger, female members of our family viewed it as a Latino, female affirmation for women. But, in any event, nobody was arguing the politics of it.

I can remember when black Americans were not allowed as students at universities in Mississippi and Alabama. Now, college football teams in the South are often, in racial make-up, more black than white. I can remember when it was illegal in some states for people of opposite races to marry… it was called “miscegenation.” This year the MVP of the Super Bowl came from a mixed-race family.

This is the America we have become, and it is something to celebrate. In our diversity, the “state of the union” is good.

Maybe it takes a good football game, like this year’s Super Bowl, to wake us up a bit. We are a better country than our current politics would indicate. We can compete, be different and still get along.

We will find our way through all of this. There is light at the end of the tunnel. Maybe it takes a football game to show us that there is even light in the tunnel.


Rolland Kidder

Time Marches On

Recently, thanks to a good buddy who helped with the driving, I took a road-trip to Chicago and the Midwest to see two old friends.  Both are experiencing what could be life-ending health issues.

It was a reminder that “time marches on,” and that there is nothing you can do about getting old.  It was also an energizing trip in that life-long friendships never get old.

Both of these men were educated in theology.  One I met while in seminary, and he had a remarkable 40-year career in the Christian ministry.  Both have counseled many over the years on the issues facing those nearing the end of their lives.  Now they are living it.

The experience caused me again to pick up the book “Being Mortal” by Atul Gawande which I keep on the reading table next to my bed.  There is a lot of good reading in that book.

I told my doctor once that this book should be mandatory reading for everyone reaching retirement age.  It puts a lot of things in perspective.  The underlying message is that aging is inexorable and irreversible.  We can deal with it or not.  We can affirm or deny it.  We can ignore it… but it is not going to go away.

We can deal with it or not.  We can affirm or deny it.  We can ignore it… but it is not going to go away.

The one thing that we cannot really control is how we will die.  I remember my Mom always saying that she wanted to die quickly without a lot of drawn out pain and anxiety.   Her prayers were answered.  During a hospital stay for heart-related issues, one night after a walk with an aide, she toppled into bed and was gone.  On the other hand, my Dad died a prolonged death from cancer, sort of wilting away a day at a time until the end of his life.

Maybe what the elderly fear most is not being in control.  For all of their adult lives, they were working jobs and running households.  They were “in charge.”  Now, they are subject to events beyond their control.  In the case of my friend in Chicago, he seemed most concerned about the ill-health of his wife.  She has her own problems with dementia and needs lots of care.  Yet, with his own declining physical condition, he is not able to provide it and must depend upon others.

In most cases, doctors are at the forefront in all of this.  My own doctor has been seeing me for over 30 years and has been spectacularly successful in keeping this “old used car” running.  Yet, he has also been there when there have been bumps in the road.  He has seen hundreds of patients over the years move through their life cycle.   He will be there at the end doing whatever he can to provide good health care to his patients.  This is what doctors do.

If there is a gold star award in heaven, it should go to those in the medical community who dedicate themselves to lifetime patient care.

There is, of course, a spiritual and emotional dimension through all of this.   Faith, friendship and the love of family are most important as one reaches the end.

These two friends I visited had a great, positive impact on my life.  I felt a need to visit them at this time in their lives.  I hope that the visit was as meaningful to them as it was to me.

Rolland Kidder

WWII Vets at the Super Bowl

When I was on the board of the Friends of World War II Memorial, I helped in getting a meeting set up between Holly Rotondi and Marv Levy in Chicago.  Marv agreed to be a honorary member of our 75th Anniversary of WWII effort… and has helped a lot with the NFL over the years.

As you can see, there have been some good things that have come from it… including WWII vets at the Super Bowl this weekend.

Rolly Kidder

Lt. Col. Samuel Lombardo   ~   Col. Charles McGee   ~    SSG Odón Sanchez Cardenas The Friends of the National World War II Memorial is proud to share with you the exciting news that the National Football League will honor 100-years-young WWII veterans SSG Odón Sanchez Cardenas, Lt. Col. Samuel Lombardo, Col. Charles McGee, and Cpl. Sidney Walton at this year's Super Bowl in Miami, Florida on Sunday, February 2nd. Be sure to tune in right before kickoff as these three heroes will join the San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs captains at midfield for the ceremonial coin toss ceremony! This is the culmination of six months of effort by Friends, with the tremendous support of WWII veteran and Pro Football Hall of Fame Coach Marv Levy, to encourage the NFL and its teams to commemorate the 75th anniversary of World War II and to honor our "Greatest Generation".    Many thanks to the NFL and to Commissioner Roger Goodell  for answering our call to Remember Them! The Friends of the National World War II Memorial's NFL Salute to World War II. Copyright © 2020 Friends of the National World War II Memorial, All rights reserved. Thank you for your ongoing interest in honoring and preserving the national memory of World War II and creating the next "Greatest Generation" of tomorrow.