My problem with Jim Jordan starts with how he’s a moronic, right-wing insurrectionist, but it doesn’t end there. I also don’t like that he’s a former wrestler, and thus serves as a representative of the sport. And I imagine how easy it must be to think, “The guy used to put people in headlocks, now he’s trying to headlock Congress...” and I know it’s not a good look for the sport of wrestling, especially in communities like DailyKos. And that’s where I want to jump in and say that Jim Jordan does not represent the traits of wrestling, quite the opposite.
I want to speak a little from my experience as a wrestler, but mainly, to offer a couple of examples of better role models. Let’s talk about someone who is just about the exact opposite of Jim Jordan—How about, the fellow who literally wrote the book, “The Conscience of a Liberal”, the late Senator Paul Wellstone. Wellstone was a former wrestler, as described in his wikipedia page:
Wellstone attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC) on a wrestling scholarship. In college he was an undefeated Atlantic Coast Conference wrestling champion.
Some more quotes from Wellstone’s page:
During the 1970s and 1980s, he also began community organizing, working with the working poor and other politically disenfranchised communities.
and:
Wellstone was arrested twice during this period for civil disobedience. The Federal Bureau of Investigation began a case file on him after his May 1970 arrest for protesting the Vietnam War...
and:
Wellstone was known for his work for peace, the environment, labor, and health care; he also joined his wife Sheila to support the rights of victims of domestic violence. He made the issue of mental illness a central focus in his career.
and then, there’s this one:
After voting against the congressional authorization for the war in Iraq on October 11, 2002, amidst a tight election, Wellstone is said to have told his wife, "I just cost myself the election."
Wellstone died tragically in a plane crash in that same year, 2002, while a sitting Senator for Minnesota.
How about another wrestler whose name you may recognize: Howard Dean, 2004 Presidential candidate and former chair of the Democratic National Committee. He led the party to adopt the “50 State Strategy” by which the party actually did electoral work in all 50 states, rather than only blue or swing states. This led to the massive blue wave in 2006, which gave the country another leader you may have heard of, Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
(Note, my further research suggests that Dean was a wrestler at the high school level, and captain of his team. If you have a good link to this effect, you’re welcome to offer it in the comments.)
I’ll talk more about Dean, but first let me address the main topic: What does it mean to be a wrestler? As a youth, middle school, high school and college wrestler, let me offer my view. Wrestling is an extremely difficult sport, physically and emotionally. Perhaps its most important benefit is learning to maintain a strong emotional core, to persevere in the face of adversity. Moreover, those who have been in the sport a long time usually learn to lead others going through adversity as well, because they can connect with it through their own experiences. When I was the captain of my high school team, when doing “suicide sprints” I would not let the last person who had to run a sprint run it alone, I would run it with them, so they didn’t have to run it alone with the whole team watching. Those lessons in strength, empathy and leadership are the lessons I see the sport of wrestling as offering.
Back to Dean. Consider the following:
- Runs for President in 2004—takes a tough loss, going from front-runner to failed candidate.
- Immediately throws his support to the new frontrunner, John Kerry, and urges his supporters to do the same.
- After Kerry’s equally (or even more) disappointing loss in the general, which was also a very bad year for Congressional Democrats, Dean somehow emerges as Chair of the DNC.
- Leads the DNC to the “50 State Strategy” and massive blue wave in 2006.
I see in Dean’s accomplishments, and unwavering focus in the face of setbacks, something of a wrestler’s resilience.
Conclusion
Most wrestlers are not bullies, because they don’t need to prove anything. Most wrestlers are not ignorant, because it tends to be intelligent people who get the most out of the sport. Most wrestlers are not like Jim Jordan; rather, they are often great role models who have a lot to offer.
It’s probably not the biggest issue on the table right now, but, with everything else Jim Jordan is screwing up, I’d rather not let the sport of wrestling be added to the list.