Super Bowl half-time show. Think about it for a minute. In the larger frame of global issues – poverty, hunger, illness, war, immigration crackdowns, climate disasters, polar vortices, human rights violations, etc. – just how important is it? It depends. Do you reason that this is a hyped entertainment or a political polarization? Is it a musical interlude during one of the most watched global sporting events or is it a statement about the U. S. of A.? Is it a blip in the cultural context or an earthshattering indictment of the state of the union? Jesus wept.

In a world where fear is coloring all our thoughts, opinions, and actions just how important is the appearance of Bad Bunny? Thank God our political leaders have more important things to focus on and deal with. No sensible human being would waste a moment making a political mountain out of an inconsequential molehill. We elect leaders to lead, not to waste time, energy, and effort in nonsensical vitriol and name calling. We would be in a very dark, stupid, and indefensible place if our leaders had nothing better to do than harp on the entertainment choices of the NFL. Thank God we live in America!

When are we going to wake up that so much of what dominates our news cycles today are absolute nonsense, distraction, misdirection, and malfeasance? American citizens across the political spectrum are being treated like idiots, and the ongoing manipulation is making it appear that this is true. Critical thinking is an endangered species. Our ability to communicate reasonably and respectfully is almost dead. Our tolerance levels have hit an all-time low. The worst of our collective human nature is exploited daily through corporate and social media. We are being encouraged to hate, to despise, to ridicule, to reject, and where possible to eradicate. At a time when our freedoms are under fire, millions of innocent immigrants and refugees are being abused and terrorized, and our elections are targeted by a single party for demolition, we have nothing better to do than obsess about Jeffrey Epstein and Bad Bunny? Give me a break.

At a moment in time when the entire planet needs ethical, just, merciful, restorative leadership from the United States, we build ballrooms, arches, endure egotistical renaming of historic institutions, see the decimation of the valuable contributions of ethnic minorities and women, and are subject to the petty social media rantings of infantile bullies. While millions of Americans suffer hunger, poverty, oppression, violence, and other forms of physical and mental harm, we distract ourselves with endless compulsive regurgitation about Melania – the documentary nobody wants or needs.

Our governmental leadership proved that they couldn’t get past half-time, but unfortunately what we need are full-time leaders. Not sycophants. Not liars. Not obnoxious name callers and put down artists. Not people who can’t keep their minds and hands off social media. We need LEADERS and unfortunately that is not what we have.

As American voters, and for those of us who believe ourselves to be Christian, enough has got to be enough. We must demand more. We must demand better. And we need to get rid of any and all leaders, regardless of party, who cannot stay focused on what is truly important, what truly is lasting, what is actually good and true and right and just. We need full-time leaders, not half-time jokes.