What you say and believe has a huge impact. Here’s a choice to think about in light of the recent holiday. The University of Wisconsin--Stevens Point has just posted a list of things we say, like “Everyone can succeed in this society if they work hard enough.” Phrases such as these may be platitudes but contain so much truth that they are often repeated. The University has declared these seemingly nondescript comments as “racial microaggressions,” to be shunned. They say this innocuous phrase’s actual message is that “people of color are lazy and/or incompetent and need to work harder.”
Simultaneously, as the University posted these, Staff Sergeant Travis Mills published his second book, “Tough as They Come.” The cover has a picture of Travis, who lost both legs and both arms in Afghanistan. His determination to function with artificial legs and arms has been the subject of a documentary and many articles for his inspiring message of personal commitment – “Never give up. Never quit.” – coupled with American technology, innovation and caring.
Travis says, “The reason I wrote this book is because I want people to know that no matter what struggle they go through or what obstacle they are facing, they can always overcome it.”
Now, patently, that’s also an overstatement. But which attitude sets someone up for success? Taking offense as a “racial microaggression” to a statement like the one above or Travis’s comment that he doesn’t want to be thought of as wounded? “I’m just a man with scars, living life to the fullest the best I know how.”
Travis is the true spirit of American independence we celebrate on the Fourth. Check out Travis’ website. And send links to anyone you know who’s a Badger.
You May Also Like
A recent news story tells the tale of government workers in a small Alaskan town who became dependent upon typewriters to do their jobs after cyber criminals infected their computer systems with ransomware. How are your typewriter skills?… more
The winning BIMBO this month comes from Bristol Palin and is a great example of the “wrong thing to say.” The full BIMBO features the never-dull Charlie Sheen, Ireland’s Prime Minister, and a bond strategist. There’s also a… more
As the summer 2010 BP Deepwater Horizon debacle unfolded, the lessons to be learned were comparatively easy to identify and apply. Run crisis simulations. Set expectations that facts and numbers will change. Make sure your spokespersons can identify… more
