Winning - The Real "National Treasure"
Frank C. Baker, W. Grand Orator

Most Worshipful Grand Master, Brethren, Ladies and Guests, good evening: An airline pilot wrote that on this particular flight he had hammered his ship into the runway really hard. The airline had a policy which required the first officer to stand at the door while the passengers exited, smile, and give them a "Thanks for flying our airline." He said that, in light of his bad landing, he had a hard time looking the passengers in the eye, thinking that someone would have a smart comment. Finally everyone had gotten off except for a little old lady walking with a cane. She said, "Sir, do you mind if I ask you a question?" "Why, no, Ma'am," said the pilot. "What is it?" The little old lady said, "Did we land, or were we shot down?"

I hope I don't get shot down when I talk about:

I was scanning the news on the web the other day when this story caught my eye: The Headline read: Gorbachev: 'Americans Have a Severe Disease'. Curious, I read on: '15 Years After Being Deposed From Power, Former Leader Discusses Russia, U. S.' The interview took place this summer in Saint Petersburg, Russia on July 12th 2006 during a meeting between world leaders and the President of the United States and as the relationship between the United States and Russia became strained by the criticizing of a democracy reversal in Russia. The interview was conducted by ABC news senior national correspondent Claire Shipman.

Here are some excerpts: "We have made some mistakes," he [Mikhail Gorbachev] said, referring to recent attacks on Russia's democracy. "So what? Please don't put even more obstacles in our way. Do you really think you are smarter than we are?" Ms. Shipman reports the former general secretary of the Soviet Union Communist Party accused Americans of arrogance and trying to impose their way of life on other nations. "Americans have a severe disease - worse than AIDS. It's called the winner's complex," he [Gorbachev] said. "You want an American style-democracy here. That will not work."

These comments made me stop, think and reflect for a minute about winning and why the desire is so strong in this Country. Then it occurred to me: if we didn't have the winner's complex, we would still be under British rule. If we didn't have the winner's complex, almost half of our land would be France or Mexico's. If we didn't have the winner's complex, all of Europe would be speaking German. And, if we didn't have the winner's complex we wouldn't have landed on the moon! I ask; what is wrong with spreading a democracy that has given its people the freedom to dream, the freedom to create and the freedom to invent? All people in all countries of the world benefit from an American style-democracy whether they embrace it or not. It is not a perfect form of government. It has its flaws as all things created by mortal men have; but it allows for the human intellect to question, to enlighten and to grow without the fear of retribution. Some disease, lets hope it's contagious! This desire to win is strong because our freedom, our "American style" and the knowledge that our way of life could be taken away from us at any time - if we are not strong - if we are not persistent - if we are not winners. Winning is the real "national treasure".

In the article, Ms. Shipman reported that, "Now, 15 years after a coup removed him from power and the Soviet Union dissolved, he [Gorbachev] has stern words for the United States, whose relationship with Russia has soured lately." Ms. Shipman reported, "Gorbachev, however, is wry about the current president, George W. Bush. "He is very determined," Gorbachev said. "You can't say he does not have character." "Gorbachev also often has stern words for the Russian government, but frequently advises President Vladimir Putin, who is under fire for his authoritarian tactics." "I told him I did not understand why he had canceled state elections. There is no glasnost," Gorbachev said, referring to the Soviet push toward a more open society in the 1980s. "No elections here like there used to be in '89 and '90." Gorbachev states in his last comment in the interview; "I want my grandchildren to live in a democratic country - in a peaceful world," he said. But it's hard to imagine because there are so many answers we still need to find."

Well, if you want democracy for your grandchildren then you must fight for it, you must be persistent, you must infect yourself with the winner's complex; you must face the consequences at home then and only then the answers you are looking for will find you.

On the lighter side of the winner's complex: A basketball coach was talking to some friends about a dream he had recently. "I was walking down the street," he said, "when this silver and black Rolls Royce pulled up to the curb beside me. Inside, was a beautiful young woman - blonde, five-foot-ten, maybe 24 or 25 years old. She ordered me to get in. So I did. The chauffeur took us to a fantastic restaurant and club where we ate and drank and danced, and she paid the bill. Then she asked me if I wanted to go home with her. And I said yes. And we did."

"Then what happened?" a listener urged with excitement.

"The best part of all!" the coach drooled. "She said, she would be only a moment and went into the other room. When she returned there were two men with her, and she introduced them to me as her two younger brothers, and both of them were over 7 feet tall!"

You may have all of the talent in the world but without fortitude, determination and persistence, winning cannot be accomplished. Even two seven-footers can't equal a five-foot-ten-inch blonde with determination. In the end you still have to go home and face the consequences of something far worse than losing - the lack of freedom - the lack of liberty - the lack of democracy. I would like to share with you an experience I had several years back while on vacation. I call this - "The Freedom of a Beach Bum". I think this descriptive story offers a different perspective on winning. It deals with persistence and about one who is infected with the winner's complex. It expresses a kind of freedom we wish we all had at certain times in our lives.

I awoke to the sounds and smells of the ocean - the playful shrills of gulls jousting with each other - bacon cooking and coffee brewing. It was going to be another fabulous day at the beach!

I slipped on my well worn flip flops, made my usual stroll across the street then along the public access and onto the unforgiving sand of that easy bake oven called a beach; people were already sprawled out and basting like so many brightly color crabs who failed to meet the outgoing tide.

I claimed my spot, stretched out my towel, laid out my belongings, removed any nonessential coverings and began the ritual: sun screen - sun block - sun shades. Just as I was settling in for a pleasant do nothing morning out of the corner of my eye, I spied him - traveling from the north - a true beach bum sauntering along the beach at waters edge with a stride that made you believe he didn't have a care in the world. He was wet from head to toe, unkempt with hair in multi shades from blonde to brown that would make dread locks look good - just a free ride for the sand fleas and beach flies in a non stop one way ticket on a sea ferry to hell.

After observing for sometime this sea urchin from the nether region, I became drowsy, closed my eyes and began to drift into a pleasant dream like state. Just as I began to dose off I was wakened by a strong odor of wet musky sea water, dirty canvas and rotting rubber. As I began to open my eyes I noticed the sun wasn't there, it couldn't be clouds because it was clear, then it dawned on me, I was in the shadow of someone or something. Yes - it was him - he was peering down at me - all hairy with bushy eyebrows, big brown eyes and a facial expression that seemed to ask can you help me? He had what appeared to be a rotten well used lime green tennis ball poised between his teeth. It was the beach bum - a real winner! Before I could say anything he dropped the ball in the sand, let out a load obnoxious bark and turned to run expecting me to throw his prize possession. I didn't want to touch it let alone throw it! Reluctantly I did under the watchful eyes of many of the sun bakers - soon to become victims. Yes, it was slimy and smelly - even the rough ocean surf couldn't cleanse and purify the horrid object. Beach Bum followed the raggedy faded ball into the water with the efficiency and energy of a purebred retriever when claiming water foul for his owner while on a hunt. Beach Bum was a talented swimmer he knew just when to bob and duck the waves so they wouldn't cover him completely. He could have easily won the swim leg portion of an iron man competition.

I continued to succumb to his advances and cave to his antics. I couldn't believe the persistence and determination that he portrayed as well as the freedom to impose on complete strangers his rule. It was like, this was his beach and as subjects we were required to do as he expected, he had won outright. This game of his went on for a while, and then for some reason he stopped tormenting me and moved further down the beach to his next intended victim and ready to win again. It was nice to see him go but I also felt a loss. Beach Bum had instilled in me a sense of freedom and excitement to an otherwise lazy uneventful day - the winner's complex. The same scenario occurred and the outcome was the same for the many others caught in his web of persistence. This went on most of the morning. Beach Bum seemed satisfied with tormenting his captured prey with his most prized possession.

The sun had moved further to the west and I could barely see him now - he was too far south down the beach to get a good glimpse at him. What was supposed to be a few hours at the beach had turned into an all day session on the subject of what it takes to win. It was time for me to head home; the end of another fabulous day at the beach. After all you can only take so much fresh air, summer sun, and old tennis balls. I gathered up my belongings and back tracked from the unforgiving sand to the public access and onto the street. Just as I was about to cross to the other side out of the corner of my eye, I spied him - it was Beach Bum - heading north along the road with the same sauntering walk as he had when he entered my life and with his prized possession clenched between his teeth. He had what appeared to be a smile that stretched from ear to ear. As I smiled back at him, I noticed he had a gleam in his eye that you knew right away what it meant; I won! At that moment, I realized this sea urchin from the nether region was headed home to rest up for another fun filled day of winning and tormenting his prey on his beach.

If the real "national treasure" is a severe disease, then we all should enjoy being sick. I surely don't want to get inoculated with the alternative - losing. No one has ever received a poor bill of health from too much justice and democracy. No one has ever taken ill from too much liberty and freedom. And no one has ever died from too much persistence and determination.

Without the winner's complex a democratic and peaceful world would be just a cherished thought for grandchildren to wonder about. And without the winner's complex we would not have the freedom to enjoy something as simple as lying on the beach and throwing tennis balls.

Oh, and when enjoying the freedom of the beach, watch out for those "Beach Bums" they smell. Even so, they are all winners in my book!

Thank you and enjoy the rest of your evening. Frank C. Baker, Worshipful Grand Orator - © 20 Oct 2006