On Contributing to Prejudice

“I’m not prejudiced, but did you hear the joke about...?” Subtle, unintentioned prejudice is more difficult to deal with than outright bigotry. At least with a bigot you know where he stands. All of us have prejudices. The trick is to know ourselves well enough to recognize them – and then refuse to act on them. Please don’t knowingly or unknowingly be a contributor to prejudice. Be vigilant and continuously ask yourself what your true feelings are.

Repeat this: Starting with me, behavior based on prejudice is a thing of the past. I will admit to my own biases and refuse to act on them.

On Confronting Bullying

There has been a lot (though not enough) of press lately about bullying in schools. But what about bullying in the workplace? Oh, it’s often more subtle there, but it is happening nonetheless. The newcomer, the nerd, and the prude are often singled out and made fun of. If you are not on the receiving end, it may seem harmless or funny or even deserved. But the person being bullied doesn’t think so. It creates a workplace filled with fear, hate, and division. It crushes creativity. And by the way, it’s illegal.

Repeat this: Starting with me, bullying in any form will not be tolerated. I will stand up for the victims.