Why this World Series Win Is Important:
I've always been the first to admit that I'm not the biggest baseball fan. I've been to Giant's games both at Candlstick, (where the 49ers still play,) and at the beautiful new AT&T Park. I have a Giants "hoodie" and I've had a fitted cap for years.
Since I don't watch live TV very much, (if I can help it,) I also don't watch a sports on TV.
Of course, last week was the exception. And it was a great series, and a long time coming for Native San Francisco fans, and especially for Native Rabid Giants Fans, (like my brother.) I'm sure the folks in Texas could have used the win, but that's the way it goes.
I do admit to a little Schadenfreude at knowing George W. Bush and his equally evil father were there in the stands with their nasty and evil wives, watching their team lose.
But the San Francisco Bay Area needed this championship for a number of reasons, and my hat's off to the boys in black and orange. They played great post-season ball! (I didn't watch the Giants during the regular season.
We, (meaning almost all Americans,) have been pretty gloomy and stressed out since October of 2008, and for good reason. Add the meanness and divisiveness of the "Tea Party" and their assorted ilk, (with are really creations of Rupert Murdoch and his cronies both on and off the air,) - have only made the situation worse. Humans, (being humans,) mask their fear with anger and hostility. So at a time when we should be putting aside our differences and working together to solve our common problems - we are instead at each others throats.
Americans have had some very old, very comfortable illusions - smashed to bits in the past couple of years. We don't know what our country will look like in 5 or 10 years. It's a time of great uncertainty. That's part of the problem. And we know those illusions will never give us that post WW-II comfort ever again.
Which is why it's so important that our SF Giants finally became Major League Champions! Their play in the playoffs and the series, and the win, has created a temporary unifying force for people in California. We can smile at each others jerseys and hats, and pat each other on the back with the type of camaraderie that's been sorely lacking for a long time. Instead of screaming at each other as the tools of the mass media and the politicians we are smiling at each other and saying positive and uplifting things to each other.
I don't know how long this post World Series phenomena is going to last, but I hope the good feeling lasts a long time. And I hope it reminds us that we are true Americans when we're civil to each other and tolerant of each other.
Thanks to every member of the Giants team that brought us this wonderful social dynamic, at a time when we desperately needed it!