What do Hockey Players and Politicians Have in Common? Dan Hedges

What do Hockey Players and Politicians Have in Common?

A.K.A. The Most Powerful Amongst Us Are Letting Us Down

Politicians have been the punch-line and brunt of many jokes lately in Canada. Is this fair? Probably; the Canadian political arena has been coloured by multiple scandals, and leaders that spend much time and resources just bashing each other, motivated by shallow partisan divides. Canadians are really starting to experience fatigue with politicians, LOOSING PATIENCE with these well paid 'representatives'.

In fact, the professional hockey players in Canada are on thin ice as well. Street-style fighting and cheap shots are as common as ever in the current N..H.L. Recent events in Montreal are exemplary of N.H.L. players behaving badly. Head injuries have been on the rise; violence is very much an accepted part of the 'game'. The rich athletes and organizations that sustain them end up having a huge impression on youth; and herein lies problem number two (problem number one being the politicians).

So as the question 'What do Hockey Players and Politicians Have in Common?'; they are both letting us down. They are both failing to be the role models that they ought to be. Schools teach the ideals of cooperation, mutual respect, teamwork, sharing, and kindness, starting in Kindergarten. While the education system attempts to create thoughtful, skilled, and tolerant citizens, some of the most powerful amongst us (including hockey players and politicians) are acting in a way totally contrary to the value system that schools and parents wish to instill in children. This is a problem. This is a serious problem.

Perhaps the various GM's and political parties of Canada should receive thousands of messages from Canadians with one important question: “What example are you setting?”.

While violence and hate tends to lead to more violence and hate; so too does cooperation and positivity replicate itself. When politicians spend money to attack other human beings (which they have been doing lately), should they act surprised when they find out that our youth are participating in cyber-bullying. Where is there any semblance of sanity in this paradigm?

By Dan Hedges