ALEX TREBECK ON AMERICA

I am old enough that I watch Jeopardy every night when I am at home at 7:30. If we are not at home at that time, no worry. We record each episode so we can watch it later. Alex Trebeck has been the host of this Answer/Question game show since 1984.

In 1990 Trebeck married his current wife, Jean, who is from Long Island, New York. A native of Canada, he became a naturalized United States citizen in 1998.

I recently read The Answer Is… Reflections On My Life in which this much beloved game show host shared stories from his life and career. He acknowledged that “there are a lot of people in America who were not born here and some of them have major accomplishments… (and) have made major contributions to the culture of America.” He suggests that all of them have two things in common. First of all, at least most of all of them wanted to be here and secondly they “have all come to deeply love this country.”

In the book Trebeck offers his “idea of the true spirit of Americanism. It’s an outstretched hand and a gentle voice that says, ‘Through no fault of your own, you had a child that was born with serious birth defects. This is a major ordeal for you, one that cannot be borne alone. Let us help you.”

“Through no fault of your own, your job disappeared. It vanished. You can no longer support your family the way you did before. Oh, I know you got a replacement job, but it doesn’t pay you anywhere near the salary you were earning prior to that event. You’re in danger of losing your home. You can’t afford health insurance. You certainly can’t afford to send your kids to college. For that, they’re going to have to take out big loans that they won’t be able to repay for fifteen or twenty years after graduation. Let us help you.”

“It’s that same hand reaching across two vast oceans, across international boundaries, and saying to foreign leaders, ‘We understand that you govern your country very differently than we do here in the United States. You are not a democratic republic. Some of you repress your citizens. Some of you worship a superior being in ways that have become xenophobic and dangerous, but as long as you don’t cross the line and threaten us, America will not raise a hand against you. In fact, we want to join hands with you to help solve some of the problems that are endangering people all around the planet’.”

He goes on to ask, “Is the image of America that is projected abroad one that we feel comfortable with, or is there a way we can become better neighbors?” Then he suggests that “all of us need to look at our country and figure out whether America lives up to the ideal America that we have in our minds and hearts. If it doesn’t, if there is room for improvement- and there always is- let us act.”

Well said, Alex.

Jamie Jenkins

Alex Trebeck’s comments are on pages 141-142 of The Answer Is…Reflections on My Life, Alex Trebeck (Simon & Schuster, 2020)

CONCEDE, CONQUER, OR COMPROMISE

 

Often I am confronted with difficult issues and people are expressing drastically different opinions. Sometimes I agree with one perspective and disagree with others. What should I do? What do you do?

Do you just concede, give in? Does it seem like too much trouble and not worth it to fight/argue? No matter how much the issue is discussed or debated, nothing is going to change. No one will gain new understanding. Don’t fight it.

Another possible response is to determine that you are going to prove your position is the right one. Win this argument. Conquer! After all, in everything there are winners and losers and you are not going to be defeated. Your opinion will prevail.

Do you listen to all perspectives to see if there are some points that make sense, even if others do not. Are you willing to make an effort to understand where the other persons are coming from and learn from them. Compromise is an acceptable option.

Is it wise to simply accept or at least fail to object to anything that people throw at you? It has been said that silence speaks consent so is your reluctance to pose questions or objections a good alternative?

If you refuse to give in and are insist on winning, what is the collateral damage? Is it necessary to have victors and vanquished on every matter?

Is compromise is an alternative to conceding and conquering? Is it possible that no one has all of the right answers? Can anyone see all sides of an issue at one time? Can you moderate your views and opinions and still maintain personal integrity? Is it possible to have a win-win conclusion?

I believe there are absolutes. Issues on which there is no debate. Practices and perspectives that are essential to orderly and ethical living. But I believe most of what we argue about and are divided over are secondary issues for which there is more than one “right” answer. Even when we cannot agree, it seems the right thing to do is at least be civil and respectful of the other person.

If you know anything about the Bible you probably are aware that the leaders of the church in Corinth were not always of one mind. The Apostle Paul counseled them to “be in harmony with each other, and live in peace—and the God of love and peace will be with you” (2 Cor. 13:11 CEB). He did not instruct them to be in agreement on everything but to value one another enough to work to “harmonize” their attitudes and actions. They did not have to all sing the same note but to blend their various voices.

We can make beautiful music together but that means each of us sings our note. God help us!

Jamie Jenkins