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A thoughtful look from Walter Sommerfelt at societal division, the impact on our sport, and the daily choices that can restore compassion.
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Every time I turn on the television, pick up a newspaper, listen to the radio, or check out social media, I feel like I am living in a broken world.
I admit, I am one of the millions of the Baby Boomer generation, the many sons and daughters of America’s Greatest Generation. As children, we played outside together and were generally safe, and we were expected to be home when the street lights came on. We were fortunate to grow up in a time of great patriotism. We survived the Cold War and grew up at a time when people did not have to lock their doors, when people treated each other with respect, even if they disagreed on anything.
Our teachers at school taught us math, spelling, US and world history, science, and, in many cases, home economics and shop class. Some public high schools even taught a trade that some would use for future employment opportunities.
In many schools, the pledge of allegiance and prayer were a daily ritual. We only had three television stations, and they went off the air at midnight. Movies were featured at the local theaters, and if you played sports, you usually had to work to “make the team.”
We also had a voice and could ask questions and express our opinions without the public ridicule that has become commonplace in today’s society.
I don’t really know when things began to change. By nature, most people are good. However, some people can no longer respect anyone or anything that does not agree with them. Just look around, we have people being assassinated and killed for their personal views. Countries are going to war over religion and other social issues. These issues are not new, but they are increasing every day, and our children no longer have the opportunity to grow up in a world without fear.
I genuinely believe the United States is still the greatest country on earth, and our freedom to choose how we live our lives is unparalleled in the world. And I think the extremism in our society is out of control.
Because of the availability of social media, computers, AI, and so many other ways to share information, people feel not only entitled but also compelled to share all their thoughts with the world and to direct hate and vitriol at those who disagree with them.
I do not want this article to be an essay on the ills of our world; instead, I want to point out how this behavior has become so detrimental to the sport of purebred dogs that most of us love.
When I started on my journey, some 50-plus years ago, this sport was “all about the dogs.” Breeders, exhibitors, judges, and the AKC were all about improving the health and welfare of all our breeds. We groomed together, shared information freely, and most importantly, supported one another in our quest to improve our breeds. We were happy when the newcomer arrived, learned, and succeeded. Winning mattered, but it was not all about winning.
With the expansion of the number of shows and rankings, and a move from a more regional family activity to one that’s all about winning, we have fallen into the abyss of the rest of the world by attacking and questioning everything we do. Breeders attack one another’s breeding programs. Exhibitors and professional handlers question judges’ decisions and have no problem posting these issues all over social media for the rest of the world to see.
Our sport and our beloved breeds are under constant attacks from animal rights groups and local politicians wanting to limit us in so many ways.
Do you accept these trends? Or would you like to see civility and enthusiasm for our sport return? We all have a place and a responsibility to help reverse this trend. Generally speaking, many feel that negativity in our lives can lead to destructive behavior, as well as some types of depression and alterations in our mental health. The change that’s needed is really not that difficult to achieve.
How can we change? For starters, the next time you feel the urge to get on social media to share what you perceive as a negative experience, write it down on a piece of paper, wait 24 hours, and ask yourself, “Will posting this make a difference or is it just maybe that I was unhappy because I lost or saw something I perceived as wrong without knowing all the facts?”
Every day, we see false statements that can create havoc and chaos throughout our society. Do we really need that chaos in our sport? Let us all make it our personal goal to respect each other’s opinions, even if we disagree. After all, we were all born with the God-given right of free will. There should be no place for hating one another because of differing opinions.
We should also treat people as we would like to be treated. I have made it my priority, as the aging process is ongoing, to be grateful for every day. I start each day with the mantra that this could be my last day on earth, and I want it to be my best. I treat every person I encounter with respect, even when they don’t deserve it. I promise to love my wife, my family and friends, and to be kind to everyone, as we never know what each person we encounter may be dealing with in their life. I try to be thankful for all the blessings I receive, and, most of all, I try not to worry about things that are out of my control. Ever since I made these changes in my personal life, I find that I am happier and more content.
I have always been an optimist and believe that most things are possible with hard work and dedication. If we all start to take a more positive outlook and learn to respect one another, I do believe we still have the ability to begin fixing a broken world.
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