TWO THINGS that we shouldn’t talk about, right? Wrong. As Ryan Fournier profoundly said, “Being taught to avoid talking about politics and religion has led to a lack of understanding of politics and religion. What we should have been taught is how to have a civil conversation about a difficult topic.”
Political and religious conversations should and need to happen—but they shouldn’t be about one person trying to convince another person. They should be about opening one’s mind and learning about another’s beliefs so that one can get a better understanding of others’ thinking and build toward common ground.
Right now, we are in the most divisive political environment in generations. Instead of shouting at strangers because of a particular yard sign or a hat, or immediately dismissing an idea solely because it originated from an opposing political party, we should be listening to differing views and working to find commonality to deliver solutions that improve ourselves and our club community.
During the last 18 months, NCA and our political action committee ClubPAC, led by Vice President of Government Relations Joe Trauger, have engaged with both sides of the political aisle. It is extremely difficult to identify a candidate who supports 100% of our policy agenda, but through civil conversations we have identified many candidates who support at least part of our agenda—and for the first time in our history, we have supported Democrats and Republicans in an election cycle.
Trauger’s article on page 6 walks you through the critical upcoming elections and the effects it could have on the private club community. As a policy-driven (not party-driven) organization, we look forward to working with Democrats and Republicans after the election as the voice of the private club industry.
And speaking of praying, the tenant of most major religions is that God exists. From this is a belief that we must help others (love thy neighbor). This is what ClubsHelp has truly become—an organization helping others. Born out of COVID-19 with one club helping one hospital, ClubsHelp has transformed into a full-fledged charity benefiting private club communities. The article on page 34 details how ClubsHelp came to be, what is it doing and where it is headed. NCA was fortunate to be asked to be a supporter from the beginning, and we are thrilled to be a small part of its amazing efforts. If you or your club has the opportunity and ability to get involved in ClubsHelp, I strongly encourage you to do so. To see how much it has accomplished in such a short amount of time has been remarkable and inspirational. It is a great example of how clubs and the private club community can make a substantial difference.
While not a religious figure (although you could make the point that he played like one on the golf course) nor a political figure (even though he is just the fourth person in history to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the Congressional Gold Medal and the Lincoln Medal), we are honored to feature Jack Nicklaus in this issue. His Q&A on page 10 spells out his remarkable accomplishments on and off the golf course and gives you a deeper understanding of why he is a legend.