Discrimination
“Legislation to apply the principle of equal pay for equal work without discrimination because of sex is a matter of simple justice.” – Dwight David Eisenhower.
“Dwight David “Ike” Eisenhower was an American army general and statesman who served as the 34th President of the United States from 1953 to 1961.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dwight_D._Eisenhower
“A moderate Republican, Eisenhower’s eight years in the White House were marked by the end of the Korean War, efforts to contain Communism, construction of the instate highway system, nuclear deterrence, founding of NASA, and economic prosperity.” Source https://www.thoughtco.com/general-dwight-d-eisenhower-2360505
Let us take a closer look at the following words: “In the end, anti-black, anti-female, and all forms of discrimination are equivalent to the same thing – anti-humanism” from Shirley Anita Chisholm, “an American politician, educator, and author. In 1968, she became the first black woman elected to the United States Congress, and she represented New York’s 12th Congressional District for seven terms from 1969 to 1983.” Source https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shirley_Chisholm
Call to end all sorts of discrimination, whether direct or implied, in any, and every field continues to gain momentum with unforeseen solidarity, unlike anything we have seen before. We all know how valiantly Late Nelson Mandela fought for the rights of the black people against apartheid in South Africa, and ultimately he won the prolonged battle at a high personal cost. Discrimination between the rich and the poor is a familiar scene almost everywhere one goes. Discrimination in workplaces enjoys a unique favor due to the vulnerability of the poor workers that must keep quiet for the sake of survival.
“How can I be expected to believe that this same racial discrimination which has been the cause of so much injustice and suffering right through the years, should now operate here to give me a fair and open trial? I consider myself neither morally nor legally obliged to obey laws made by a Parliament in which I am not represented. That the will of the people is the basis of the authority of government, is a principle universally acknowledged as sacred throughout the civilized world.” -Nelson Mandela
For the intelligent minds, the above example should offer an early warning sign that the days of this evil practice are indeed numbered. Businesses keen to make headway MUST identify any possible and/or plausible avenues of discrimination in their entire operations and eradicate the same as soon as possible. Such an action would not only save them from some costly legal troubles but also help them earn respect as an ethical employer where employees would feel respected. Naturally, happy employees are always more productive.
“How I wish we lived in a time when laws were not necessary to safeguard us from discrimination.” – “Barbara Joan “Barbra” Streisand (born April 24, 1942) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and filmmaker. In a career spanning six decades, she has achieved success in multiple fields of entertainment.
She has been recognized with two Academy Awards, ten Grammy Awards including the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, and the Grammy Legend Award, five Emmy Awards including one Daytime Emmy, a Special Tony Award, an American Film Institute award, a Kennedy Center Honors prize, four Peabody Awards, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and nine Golden Globes.
She is among a small group of entertainers who have been honored with an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony Award–though only three were competitive awards–and is one of only two artists in that group who has also won a Peabody award.” Source https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbra_Streisand
“From the viewpoint of absolute truth, what we feel and experience in our ordinary daily life is all delusion. Of all the various delusions, the sense of discrimination between oneself and others is the worst form, as it creates nothing but unpleasantness.” -Dalai Lama
“The 14th Dalai Lama is the current Dalai Lama. Dalai Lamas are important monks of the Gelug school, the newest school of Tibetan Buddhism which was formally headed by the Ganden Tripas. The traditional function of the Dalai Lama as an ecumenical figure, holding together disparate religious and regional groups, has been taken up by the present fourteenth Dalai Lama.
He has worked to overcome sectarian and other divisions in the exiled community and has become a symbol of Tibetan nationhood for Tibetans both in Tibet and in exile.” Source https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dalai_Lama
“There is no room in baseball for discrimination. It is our national pastime and a game for all.” – “Lou Gehrig. Henry Louis Gehrig, born Heinrich Ludwig Gehrig, nicknamed “the Iron Horse,” was an American baseball first baseman who played his entire professional career in Major League Baseball for the New York Yankees, from 1923 until 1939.
In 1969, the Baseball Writers’ Association voted Gehrig the greatest first baseman of all time,[11] and he was the leading vote-getter on the Major League Baseball All-Century Team chosen by fans in 1999.[12] A monument in Gehrig’s honor, originally dedicated by the Yankees in 1941, currently resides in Monument Park at Yankee Stadium.
The Lou Gehrig Memorial Award is given annually to the MLB player who best exhibits Gehrig’s integrity and character.” Source https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lou_Gehrig
No wonder, the field of sports would also go all out to despise discrimination same as any government, administration and/or enterprise. Why, because it is one of the most excellent examples of team spirit. Togetherness will only flourish when discrimination is wholly rooted out. In the same sense, an enterprise, keen to thrive must follow the same principle and create a conducive environment for all to relate to each other with mutual respect and ease of communication.
For those keen to find value in the above quotes from outstanding personalities, there is a definite call to action. We can realize the urgency to address the menace of discrimination in our dealings with employees, clients, service providers, as well as any or all other entities that we come into contact with. However, a sound degree of discrimination is called for in areas where a wrong decision could backfire in an irreparable form.
P.S. Leaving all other fields aside, discrimination in dealing with the right-minded associates, products, services, and other operational issues shall be given utmost priority at all times. Any compromise on this score will be an open invitation to disaster.
