August 2019
As of 08/04/2019, there have been 250 mass killings in this country this year! Now, more than ever before, we need leaders who unite us. I urge everyone, especially our President, to stop all the divisive rhetoric. While it is true that the shooters are the ones to be blamed and that they may be 'sick,' there can be no excuse for people who embolden them and flame their violence. Unless a group purposely aims to harm another group, no one should ever fear or hate others because of their sex, race, nationality, religion, sexual orientation, disability, economic class, or political association.
History has shown that when people feel financial and/or socially threatened, they seek a strong leader and a common enemy. Our President has shown us how thoroughly frightened many people are today. People are frightened by the jobs they have lost or the lives they may soon need to change. These economic and social shifts are due to advances in technology and globalization. Instead of focusing on the positive side of how these advances can help everyone, both sides of the political spectrum are instilling fear and hatred. Instead of finding ways of using new technology to ensure that everyone has good food, health, and happiness, we focus on how new technology is taking away our jobs and privacy. Instead of seeing how globalization can supplement and complement our cultures, we choose to blame each other for the atrocities of the past.
Focusing on diversity and neglecting assimilation has led to a very ugly and dangerous tribal polarization in this country. It is critically essential that people in all ethnic, racial, national, and other cultures learn about their heritage and feel good about their group and good about who they are. It is equally essential that all people learn how to assimilate into the mainstream culture. Accusing 'the other group' of the horrors, pain and discriminating acts they and their ancestors have afflicted on 'our group,' regardless of the validity of the accusation, rarely lead to real change. Working and playing and focusing on how changes will help everyone is how actual progress happens.
I have an obvious and palpable disability. I use a powered wheelchair for my mobility. I cannot sit up straight. Cerebral Palsy causes involuntary body and facial movements. I have a significant speech impairment. I have always been a strong disability advocate. The Disability Movement has resulted in many great civil rights laws and a much more physically accessible nation and world. My disability advocacy successes have come from my active participation with my family, friends, and the Jewish and business communities. Here are 2 examples;
After working at Wells Fargo for a year, I needed something from the data center. At that time, the data center was just a few floors below where I worked. I called, and the person who answered the phone made fun of my speech and hung up. I tried again, and the same thing happened. I told my manager what happened. My manager was livid. He wanted to get the operator reprimanded and fired. I asked my manager to simply let me know the name of the operator. Knowing the operator's name, I went down to the data center. When I got there, several people who knew me came over to say hi and find out what I needed. After getting my question answered, I ask them to tell me who so-and-so was. They pointed to him. He turned and faced me. He turned pale. I said, “Hi, how are you?” and left, He became one of my best allies.
Often at Wells Fargo, I attended meetings where many of the attendees didn't know me. I was amused by seeing the fear on their faces as they saw me for the first time. The air in the room sometime was very thick due to their anxiety. If I led the meeting, I'd say something like, 'for the next few minutes, you probably won't understand what the hell I'm saying because of my New York accent – haha). As the meeting progressed and we started talking about work, I loved seeing faces relax and the air clear as they forgot about how different I looked and sounded.
I am extremely fortunate to have parents who knew the importance of assimilation. Being survivors of the holocaust, they worked very hard to assimilate into America's culture while always remembering their Jewish heritage and advancing their Jewish culture. They demonstrated how people can assimilate without conforming. Assimilation is fitting in by emphasizing commonalities and positivity. Conforming asks people to change who they are and what they believe. My parents
always told me that due to my disability, I had to be better and work harder than people without disabilities. The way people viewed and reacted to me was my problem and my responsibility to change. Blaming others for their feelings and sins of their heritage too often diminishes our ability to affect real change. Burdening marginalized individuals with continually having to combat negative stereotypes and discrimination is difficult and unfair. Diversity awareness training must continue. However, more emphasis needs to be made to ensure that people feel good about themselves, be proud of the group(s) they identify with and have the skills to assimilate with others. True diversity will happen as we work, play, and interact with each other.
See all Neil's Blogs
Please send questions and comments to Feedback on Neil's blog
Not interested anymore? Click Unsubscribe
|
