I’m grateful to have been born in the United States. I refrained from making a reflection on 04 July 2026. I chose to live in the moment, be grateful for the people in my life and enjoy floating through nature. I also may have had a shaking dog looking for a safe place from all the booms- both natural from thunder and ignited by pyrotechnics.
Me.
I was educated in a system that was designed for everyone. I learned to read, write and philosophize about what makes life so special. Due to all the distractions being created by the current narrative being pushed in news headlines it was really difficult to write up something special for the 250th of the United States of America. Maybe it has to do with the current administration and their focus on dividing the country daily and obfuscating the truth. If the current administration were real leaders we would be having one celebration and a message of unity. Let’s take a moment to reflect on when America has chosen to fight and again question why we stepped into the current conflict with Iran. The only way to make this country great again is by stamping out hate and focusing on our immediate communities. We need to find daily ways to build each other up, dance when we can, run when we can and put a hand on each others back to get through the difficult situations. Let’s reflect on the past 25 days of football happening all over North America. Watching the global football tournament is a clear example of humans living on One Sweet World.
Since we are in the middle of one great football tournament let’s play a game of US vs the World vs whoever our current administration targets.
Minute Zero—OWN GOAL 1 (US minus 1- World 1). DOGE- first we decided to step away from our global mission to support the world. Nutrition programmes cancelled. Health care initiatives cancelled.
Over the next twenty minutes, we continued to pass the ball around our own end, never crossed our opponent’s half. Instead of building the attack with institutional knowledge we decided that bringing in washed up stars was the way to play. The lack of people with knowledge and understanding of the world led to the current path.
Minute Twenty-Four—Hydration Break. Next we need to break down two items that made us forget what many wise men already knew.
Minute Twenty-Five—US OWN GOAL (US minus 2- World minus 1- Iran 1). We forgot that the best war is one that was never started. If you’ve lived and loved anybody who has ever been to war, you know that there is a giant human toll for anybody who has ever fought or supported a combat mission. This current administration and generation forgot that avoiding needless wars is not a new one, instead they had to lear first hand a historical lesson. Maybe if they actually read the classics and philosophy they would recall in the “Iliad,” Achilles lamented “this insane voyage” to wage the Trojan War, “fighting other soldiers to win their wives as prizes.”
Indeed, ever since Homer wrote of the Greeks’ attempted regime change in Troy, we’ve seen that the grander the military ambition, the more wary we should be.
Minute Twenty-Nine—US OWN GOAL (US 0 minus 3- World minus 2- Israel minus 1- Iran 2). The US administration aligned our country with our allies, no matter if their goals were right and just. Since the 07 October 2023 Hamas attack–Israeli leaders set their goal extremely high looking to be invincible. In the process Israel has become completely consumed with reasserting its power.
Minute Thirty-Three—US OWN GOAL (US 0 minus 4- World minus 3- Israel minus 2- Iran 3). Iran closes the Strait of Hormuz impacting global distribution of oil in the middle east. The world sees petrol prices rise. Donald Trump stickers start showing up on US gas pumps saying “Look What I Did.”
Minute Thirty-Seven—US OWN GOAL (US 0 minus 5- World minus 4- Israel minus 2- Iran 3- Mexico 1- Canada 1). The US administration decides to enforce international travel bans ahead of the global football tournament. US cities that were planning on a travel boom for the event do not see the expected international travelers. Due to the percieved chaos in the United States most international fans choose to go to games in Canada and Mexico.
Minute Forty-Two—US OWN GOAL (US minus 6- World Minus 5- Israel minus 3- Iran 4- Mexico 1- Canada 1). The US administration looking to cut losses politically decide to negotiate their own treaty directly with Iran. No Joint Commission Treaty with oversight internationally and the support of China and Russia. In 2015 Russia removed the nuclear materials that Iran had stockpiled. This uni-lateral treaty is really a political cut and run. While the current POTUS is saying “If we didn’t do this deal, we could have dropped more bombs for another three weeks, two weeks, four weeks, two years; you would never have the Hormuz Strait open,” -“I didn’t want to see economic catastrophe.” This OWN GOAL acknowledges that Iran won the war. It also confirms that Iran won the negotiation. The current POTUS ealized any deal he could hope to reach would be a humiliation — especially since he was the one who stepped away from the joint agreement signed under the administration in charge in 2015.
The lesson to be learned– avoid starting needless wars. Rely on Diplomacy. Rely on Dialouge. Rely on Trade. Global problems can be solved with global partners.
By being a war pig — and trying to destroy Iran — we have done the most to strengthen it.
Minute Forty-Five—8 minutes of stoppage time—GLOBAL GOAL (US minus 6- World Minus 4- Israel minus 3- Iran 4- Mexico 2- Canada 2). The global football tournament with 48 countries is played in Canada, United States and Mexico (CUM) starting on 11 June 2026. The entire world comes together to play a global game and share in the joy of play and human embracing. The humans of the United States begin to realize that the entire world is not bad and that we have a lot in common.
Minute Fifty-One—US OWN GOAL (US minus 7, World Minus 3- Israel minus 3- Iran 4- Mexico 2- Canada 2- FIFA minus 1). 01 July 2026 US Mens National Soccer Team beats Bosnia-Herzegovina 2-0. During the game US Soccer Teams first goal scorer Folarin Balogun is sent off in minute 64 swith a red-card for serious foul play in the round of 32 game against Bosnia-Herzegovina. While the soccer community questioned the decision due to the contact involved at full speed and contributing contact started by the BH defender the red-card was still a red-card. After the game soccer fans reviewed the assistance of VAR, slow-motion replay and issues with not issuing cautions earlier in the match, the soccer community accepts the standard one-game sit out for the red-card. Then the current POTUS who has been completely quiet about this tournament until this point contacts global tournaments head Gianni. Not only does POTUS contact Gianni, but choses to gloat about his conversation on social media. At the same time the global tournament makes an announcement that Balogun will not have to sit out the Sweet Sixteen game against Belgium. It appears that the entire footballing world is enraged at this being above the laws of the game decision. The current administration now tries to make the game about They/Themselves instead of the National Soccer Team.
HALFTIME WHISTLE
Let’s take this break to refocus our energy. Let’s make our communities stronger by looking out for each other. MAY WE THE PEOPLE take back the power and rewrite the script for a better future. We are all on the same boat, there is no US or them. It is just We the People.
