Yes, thanks, Linda....you're right. I'm relating this to my own experience--though not solely my own. This kind of thing has happened to many deaf/hard of hearing persons. But I took down the post because I decided not to say that.
I am disappointed in Dr. McCaskill for what seems to me to be the disingenuous claim of wanting to be "pro-democracy" and not anti-gay marriage.
Was democracy the topic of the sermon in church that day and not gay marriage in Maryland?
Has concern for democracy ever been a major consideration for those of us who have voted for and supported civil rights for nonwhite persons over many years? I really don't read the constitution much or feel it has all of the answers to every civic issue in the country. The constitution has never moved me to tears when I've read stories about the brutal injustices done to my non-Caucasian brothers and sisters.
Nor do I consider the bible a resource for every single issue. I do eat shellfish and pork, after all. And I've never stoned anyone for adultery. (Yet.)
And I am not impressed with Gallaudet's track record on justice for all. Its actions rather frequently belie its words.
I'm sorry Dr. McCaskill can't find it in herself to see where she has caused unnecessary pain to her GLBT brothers and sisters--and to apologize from the heart rather than
try to "explain" her position. I rather doubt the GLBT members of the Gallaudet Community need to have anything explained. She made her position quite clear.
And I think the president of Gallaudet was right to suspend her. The position of Director of Diversity has many responsibilities--one of which must certainly be foreseeing the result of her action in signing a petition that puts added pressure and opprobrium on GLBT persons who are seeking a simple human right.
Dedicated to Fiona
Fiona, the glory of Snoozeville
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
Part 2....
Yesterday I posted my opinion about the recent events at Gallaudet University. And this morning, I took the post down. Then I got an email from a good, thoughtful friend about my opinion. So here's my reply to that.
3 comments:
Good people make mistakes. Even those that just try to be good. LOL. How well I know!
Cat
This reminds me of the line by a character in the movie, The American President -- "Politics is perception." It also reminded me of an organizational climate study I was involved with some years ago. In that study, we referred to an article in Harvard Business Review (2003) titled “The Enemies of Trust,” which described three kinds of trust within an organization:
“…The first is strategic trust – the trust employees have in the people running the show to make the right strategic decisions…The second is personal trust – the trust employees have in their managers… The third is organizational trust – the trust people have not in any individual but in the company itself… Clearly, these three types of trust are distinct, but they are linked in important ways. Every time an individual manager violates the personal trust of her direct reports, for example, their organizational trust is shaken.”
In signing a petition, which is a public document, personal action becomes public action and that opens it up to scrutiny and question, particularly if it is done without prior comment. People will ask, what does this mean? What does this person believe? How will it affect their actions and decisions? And in the case of someone whose job deals with respect and understanding of diversity, people will also ask, how will those actions and decisions affect me? Can I trust this person to be fair? In this situation, any lack of trust in the individual weakens the trust in how she carries out her responsibilities within the organization and it weakens trust in the organizaition.
Fairness implies equality of opportunity. Fairness is achieved when persons in positions of responsibility can put aside favoritism, prejudice, and their own feelings and desires to achieve a balance between conflicting interests and viewpoints. I believe she has done a lot to further understanding and appreciation of diversity, but this one act, done perhaps without considering the consequences for herself and others, will require trust rebuilding, both for herself and for the organization.
cat: you're describing all of us. we all like to think of ourselves as good or "trying to be good," but we all like to think this is done in private. ha.
linda: thanks for this. your discussion of perception reminds me of the place i worked in iowa, where the founder often reminded us of two mottos: "the perception of the truth is often more important than the truth itself" and "perception becomes reality in its consequences." this was years before "the enemies of trust" was written.
also, it can take years to overcome personal action becoming public action. i think of bill clinton and the fact that he had his faults, not just a lack of attention, broadcast to the world, yet he did not let that consume his whole presidency or overrun his desire to improve our lot. and i think of the totally undeserved treatment of al gore: how fast the snarky phrases "al bore" and "sore loserman" entered our consciousness. gore's contribution to the public good continues.
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