Sometimes during my increasingly infrequent television sessions, I will switch directly from the cable news to a sporting event, or sports news. It has often struck me as both sad and wonderful that many people, myself included, can find so much comfort, exhilaration, and even peace in sports, while the world is engaged in so many life and death conflicts.

While wars rage on, the world economy struggles, and literally millions of Americans scrape for that next meal, sports on every level provide an outlet for us to (temporarily) forget our worries. I am sure that some will focus on the negative here, saying that we are insensitive to the world around us and fixating on something ultimately irrelevant and unnecessary. While this is valid to an extent, I think that part of what makes our society grand is the enjoyment of our unique liberties on a daily basis.

That I can sit on my couch, or attend a college football game on my leisure is a testament, not an insult, to the brave volunteers who protect our hard-earned freedoms. Many countries exist in which there is little opportunity for leisure at all, as millions of our fellow human beings live in daily fear for their lives, under totalitarian rule, or the constant threat of famine, natural disasters, and the like. Truly, regardless of our troubles, it is still mighty good to be an American.

So this Labor Day weekend, celebrate your privileges and count your blessings, whatever they may be. If you like football, there is plenty on tap. If not, check out the "other" football, as the U.S. takes on El Salvador in a crucial World Cup qualifier. It is your right, and your privilege to do so.