Losing gracefully earns the respect of others | Midweek Musings

I was going for the Republicans, the red team with Donald Trump.

I was watching the race on Fox; they're the news station with the blue-coloured app icon and blue logo. But Fox was totally pro-Trump, and I felt I wasn't getting balanced news.

I switched to CNN news; they're the red-coloured app icon and red logo but they were totally pro-Joe Biden, the Democrats, the blue team.

So, the red logo was going for the blue team and the blue logo was going for the red team.

The red team wasn't doing too well, which made me feel blue. But that night was the rugby league state of origin night - usually among the happiest nights of my year.

I go for NSW, "the Blues".

After going for the red team all day, I felt like I was switching sides.

Queensland is kind of the red team, but they're actually "the Maroons" because they wear maroon-coloured jerseys.

Then shouldn't NSW be called "the Ceruleans" because they're actually wearing the colour cerulean? I think "the Ceruleans" sounds better, and even a little regal.

Queensland snatched certain victory from NSW, AGAIN, and now I was red with rage.

While driving home, I mused, "I bet I get red lights all the way home! I bet I do".

When the lights turned green ... well, for a split second there I didn't know what to do.

In my youth, I did a little amateur boxing.

My boxing record reads as follows:

One win.

One loss so convincing the fight was stopped and he never stepped foot into the ring again.

With two fights under my belt, I didn't retire a legend, but I can remember a few of the rules.

Fighters are designated opposite corners known as the "red corner" and the "blue corner".

Before a punch is thrown, you are required to come out of your designated corner, "touch gloves", and then go back to your corner. Why? As a sign that you are friends, not enemies.

At the beginning of the last round - if the fight goes that long - you touch gloves again as a reminder that you are still friends.

After the fight, you shake hands and/or even embrace as a last reminder that you are friends, not enemies. What happens when one side fights dirty? More times than not, the other side follows suit.

At the time of writing, Donald Trump has still not conceded defeat and fighting the election result in court. I can see how we got to where we are.

The blue team never respected Donald Trump's tenure as President.

Trump and his team were attacked and disrespected from the beginning to the bitter end of his presidency, including rioting when he was announced the winner and being accused of colluding with Russia to win the 2016 election; even after a $32 million investigation could find no evidence of collusion.

Is it a surprise then that the red team are not bowing out graciously?

They're not rioting though.

President-elect Joe Biden and pro-Democrat celebrities are now calling for unity.

Singer Katy Perry faced a huge backlash Sunday on Twitter from fans after tweeting: "The first thing I did when the presidency was called is text and call my family members who do not agree and tell them I love them and am here for them... Call your family today."

Why the backlash?

Perhaps because Perry was one of Trump's loudest critics in the music industry and the first to perform in public sporting the "resist" armband at the 2017 Grammy Awards, the month after President Trump took office.

Sometimes you're the winner and sometimes you lose.

Sometimes you're on the blue team and sometimes the red.

Some days you're the hammer and some days you're the nail.

We can't agree on everything and life would be unbearable if we did.

If you must disagree, and sometimes we must, let us disagree gracefully.

The next time, if by chance you lose, or are even wrong, if you admit it gracefully, perhaps you will find people will respect you more.

Twitter: @frbrendanelee