Refuse To Take The Stage
You have to be taught to be second class; you’re not born that way.
Lena Horne lived by her words. She declined to participate in an event when
some in audience were being treated as “second class”. Horne refused to take
the stage when the practices of the sponsoring organization conflicted with her
high standards. Heed her example.
Refuse to compromise in the face of
injustice, especially when it concerns the unfair treatment of certain groups.
Safeguard your integrity. No matter how much you’re getting paid, how far you’ve
traveled or how strongly you feel about a cause, don’t get involved if there’s
injustice or any kind of unfairness. Ask yourself:
Is everyone better off through this activity, or are some ending up worse off
because others have an unfair advantage?
What do I have to do to protect my integrity in the midst of an injustice?
What steps should I take to make sure my moral standards are not being
compromised by my getting involved with this?
Answer these questions before you get involved. Just because others are in the
mud doesn’t mean you have to get down and dirty with them.
