Dignity and respect
The power of an Air Force general’s simple edict
Charlottesville and the ongoing protests during the national anthem by NFL players have magnified the nation’s racial divide. The divide is real, raw and probably wider than at any time since the 1960s.
Lt. Gen. Jay Silveria, the superintendent of the Air Force Academy, offered a simple solution to racial ignorance during a speech to the academy’s cadets: “If you can’t treat someone with dignity and respect, then get out.”
Treat all people with dignity and respect — this is a basic and proven rule of thumb.
The general’s words were in response to racial slurs being written on the whiteboards outside the dorm rooms of five black cadet candidates at the academy’s preparatory school.
The five-minute speech has been viewed more than 5.2 million times on the Air Force Academy’s Facebook page and has been lauded by Apple CEOTim Cook and Sen. John McCain asan example of true leadership.
After criticizing the “horrible language” and “horrible idea” written on the whiteboards, Lt. Gen. Silveria told the cadets to embrace their differences.
“The power of the diversity ... the power that we come from all walks of life, that we come from all parts of this country, that we come from all races. We come from all backgrounds, gender, all makeup, all upbringing,” Lt. Gen. Silveria said. “The power of that diversity comes together and makes usthat much more powerful.”
The general’s words were intended to remind the cadets what makes their academy great, but the words can also extend to the United States as a nation.
When the United States first rose to global prominence during World War I, it was during a time when the country was assimilating millions of immigrants from throughout Europe. The eventual blending together of the strengths from multiple cultures helped build the country into a global superpower.
Cultural diversity is a national asset, not a liability. Lt. Gen. Silveria reminded us of this. He also showed us how to stand up to bullies and cut to the heart of a controversy: Be respectful or go.