From the Publisher

It took a pandemic, more than 500,000 deaths, a contentious election, shootings, riots and marches, failing businesses everywhere, and thousands of immigrants stuck on our borders to awaken our spirits. But now, people are fired up. We are engaged. And while we may not agree on these issues, we are living during a time of heightened sensitivities and it’s all out in the open. It’s not pretty and most are concerned with where things go from here, but for the foreseeable future, there is no going back to the way it was.

Let’s face it, it wasn’t so great. It felt more normal to some, but just below the surface were many problems which were ignored and tolerated for years. The cold hard truth is that we live in a world where people don’t agree on many issues. Even among political parties people don’t agree. There are more racists than I ever thought possible. The stock market has been soaring but businesses are failing. Our national debt is out of control. Senseless crimes and homicides evade even our most committed and tenured law enforcement agencies. A generation of kids are missing school, hypnotized by social media and are more depressed and suicidal than ever.

As a nation, we’re spoiled, entitled, and most often bystanders to the problems we are facing. Even family members are not talking about the tough issues because, well, they’re too tough. It’s time we get off the sidelines because our world is no longer a spectator sport. We have to demand that our media is independent; we have to do more than unfriend people we disagree with on social media. We can’t turn a blind eye to the problems of our cities or to rampant racism, sexism, and discrimination in a multitude of forms.

But there will be no quick fixes. We cannot simply change our elected officials or our laws and expect people to change. It will take years and generations of hard work to find the things we can agree on. Let’s put aside what no one can agree on, accept that the other isn’t bad or wrong and focus on the issues we can come together on. Let’s tone down the rhetoric, turn off the polarizing news and pundits, read more moderate points of view and meet in the middle.

For years people complained about St. Louis; but people are finally doing something about it. If you think it needs to get better or safer before you invest your time, money, and energy, guess again. We have to invest in order for it to change. Let’s celebrate the people who are doing this and ignore the complainers. Visit new neighborhoods, talk to people who don’t look or think like you do, keep an open mind, support new restaurants, support a new nonprofit, and drive a new way home. You’ll be amazed at what you’ll see, what you’ll find, and what you unlock about yourself you never knew.

I recently toured the luxury residences -- One Cardinal Way -- soaring high above Busch Stadium. Until now I never thought about living downtown, but this building truly has it all. It’s a diverse community in the heart of downtown. My wife is a true Cardinals fan and she went crazy for the views of the ballfield, Gateway Arch, the fitness centers, and walking district in Ballpark Village. The infinity pool with the perfect view of the game is ingenious. Hats off to Bill DeWitt III and The Cordish Companies for a masterful job and taking a risk on St. Louis. The fact that the building is more than 90 percent occupied is a testament to their vision.

If the only thing we can agree on is the love of the Cardinals, so be it. Watch the games on TV, watch from the stands, cheer them on from Ballpark Village, listen on the radio or with your family and friends. Support the players who are helping us win games and feel some compassion for the players who don’t live up to expectations. But always act like a true Cardinals fan -- be respectful, give the other team a helping hand up and salute the players who have moved on and are now our competitors...because at the end of the day life is like baseball, we all get three strikes, four balls, and nine outs. Let’s make the most of it.

Play ball.

Craig M. Kaminer, Publisher craig@slmag.net