Difference Makers?

Difference maker or differences maker? Which one will you be? Do you make a difference or do you just focus on differences? In an age where words like "diversity" and "multicultural" are part of every vision statement and strategic plan, have we really come that far or are we just offering lip service? In this week's episode, TQ13: Inalienable, we explore these ideas from a couple of different perspectives. (And, we promise you links: so the videos we discuss are included below.)

Both of the segments in this episode are drawn from popular culture: movies and the Internet. As you listen to the episode again (because you've already listened at least once, right?), I ask you to think about two other quotations: "Silence is golden" and "Silence is consent." When you hear derogatory language toward others in your everyday life, do you confront it, do you feel uncomfortable, do you ignore it? Not everyone can march on Selma, but perhaps we can find our own ways of making the world more tolerant (oops, forgot to sound the buzzword alert).

As we were preparing the episode, we discussed whether we really wanted to approach the topic of racism. It can be controversial, after all, and Ed knows that I prefer to keep my toes out of the pool of public controversy. (Not good for business, you see.) On the subject of racism, however, I told Ed that I am quite willing to stand up publicly as being firmly against it. If anyone stops listening to the show or reading the blog because they don't like that view, it's a risk I'm willing to take.

As someone told me yesterday, "I learn more about myself and the world, when I am with people who are different from me." So, that's one selfish reason to be anti-racist. For a more patriotic reason, I turn to the words of another longstanding friend, who argues that diversity helps the United States win more Olympic medals. "Of course we win in nearly every sport," he says, "we have people from everywhere; that means we can do everything!" Finally to quote a former boss, "we are altogether better because we are all together."
And, now, at long last, the aforementioned videos:

A Pep Talk from Kid President
Sweet Brown: The Autotone Remix This is just one of several remixes.
And, for your inspiration: