Fortitude.  A virtue most associated with courage.  But it also can refer to magnanimity, the desire for excellence, being patient and perseverance toward a worthy goal.  

They Just Don’t Get It:  Making it in the entertainment industry is tough.  You have to have perseverance to go along with talent to be excellent.  But there is no courage in hosting the Emmy awards and trashing Republicans, whites and Christians. When did comedians stop being funny?  Hollywood is full of so-called stars that think one-sided political humor is funny. Middle America is not amused. It is also just plain dumb.  Why insult half the country and alienate your fans? Perhaps they have made so much money and received fame and adulation that they have a highly inflated view of themselves.  No one ever said you had to be smart to act. Most people turn to television and the movies to escape their daily problems, unwind and relax. I don’t want to hear about politics and I certainly don’t want to be lectured by Hollywood as to what is moral and virtuous.  They seem to think that their opinion is relevant to my life; well, it isn’t. The Emmy ratings have been steadily declining; have they ever wondered why? Probably not since they are too busy patting themselves on the back

Just Don’t Do It:  Nike recently celebrated their 30th anniversary of the “Just Do It” advertising campaign with Colin Kaepernick trying to inspire us with a new slogan of “Believe in something.  Even if it means sacrificing everything.” So, what does Mr. Kaepernick believe in and what has he sacrificed? Believing in “something” is simply not good enough.  Something can be anything, and that doesn’t tell us whether its worthy of our belief. Kaepernick’s “something” is that the police target black people, the country is inherently racist and seeks to keep you down unless you are male and white.  Crime statistics will show the police are not targeting minorities, but he entitled to his opinion. Instead of raising his issues in a thoughtful manner, based on facts, with a call for solutions, what does he do? He protests the national anthem, instantly directing the conversation, not to his issues, but to himself.  He divides the country and like Hollywood, insults his customers. Kneeling during the national anthem is not a sign of courage at all. Many on the left think Mr. Kaepernick showed courage to “protest” the country and flag. I disagree because what he’s accomplished is to call attention to himself and pick up a multimillion dollar Nike endorsement along the way.  That isn’t a pursuit of a worthy goal.

Where’s the Beef?  Nike wants you to believe Mr. Kaepernick has sacrificed so much.  I’m not convinced, especially compared to the military and police who have made real sacrifices, and who revere the anthem and flag.  Like the Wendy’s commercial from 1984, “Where’s the Beef?”, where is Mr. Kaepernick’s substance? He prospered in his NFL career because of his skills on the field and made millions. He’s now out of the NFL, pointing fingers about how the NFL is racist and won’t give him a job.  You don’t perform and you don’t have a job. His skills have diminished and no team wants the media circus that he would bring. Are we to admire him for sacrificing everything for what he believes in? I don’t see his sacrifice and don’t see his fortitude.