Listen Here
By Mary Beth Dillon, MDillon@Findlay.edu
Professor Emerita, former Professor and Associate Chair of Occupational Therapy at The University of Findlay
This column is part of a series published each week in the Pulse for the rest of the semester from the Watterson Institute for Ethical Leadership working group members.
Daily, we are inundated with information about new Executive Orders and policies from the Federal Government. Many of these directly impact those we know, love, and serve, and we can see their influence on campus. News outlets and social media can help shape our thoughts, inform our decisions, or fuel situations with information that is so outrageous that one can only hope our fellow Americans will fact-check before they share misinformation. Some days, the words ‘Courage’ and ‘Compassion’ may seem foreign, but should not be forgotten.
As a female GenXer and occupational therapist who believes in occupational and social justice, the daily policy edicts are frustrating, unbelievable, and sometimes frightening as the freedoms that those before us have worked relentlessly to achieve are shredded. During the 19th and 20th centuries, many laws or court judgments protecting women included subjects of abortion/women’s health, equal pay, marital equality, business/monetary equality, and sexual discrimination. Women have been courageous in the fight for equal opportunities and women’s health equality. Examples include: 1973 Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision; 1974 Equal Credit Opportunity Act, independent credit card applications for women; 1998 Women’s Business Ownership Act eliminated the requirement for male relatives to sign for business loans.
Roe v. Wade has been overturned, and individual states are continuing to introduce extreme bills that do not protect women’s rights or their health. H.R. 8281, the SAVE Act, which has passed the House, will make it more difficult for a married woman who has changed her name to register to vote due to new proof of citizenship requirements. Even on this campus, we have seen the impact of Washington’s demand to eliminate DEI.
It is time for a call to action! How can we have ‘Compassion’ and ‘Courage’ and not be complicit as policies and laws are written and passed that impact individuals’ freedoms? How do we show compassion to those who think differently, shout differently, or hold different values? As a starting point, we need to consider the impact of policies on the individuals with whom we live, love, socialize, and serve. Do they depend on policies or funding for healthcare and daily living? Are they fearful that their constitutional rights will be removed or limited?
As we live and serve, Compassion: acting with grace toward self and others, must be one of our characteristics. Understanding and being responsive to the fear that individuals have today shows compassion. Make a point to interact with those who don’t look like you, talk like, love like, worship like, or think like you. It is also vital to act with grace when we advocate for ourselves and those we serve. It is with benevolence that we should attempt to be part of the solutions as we work toward narrowing the divide in this country. And we must not forget to have patience and grace for oneself. Take a break, rest, and rejuvenate. Good energy is needed for the continuation of courage and compassion.
Will you be complicit or have Courage: (to) take ethical action even when it’s difficult, unpopular, or undesirable? It may be easier to remain indifferent; however, the policies that are changing will more than likely have a direct impact on you. Courageous action can be small or grand. Every contribution is significant.
We all have varying comfort levels- some ways that you can be courageous:
- Contact your senators and congressmen about issues important to you (5calls.org);
- Gain an understanding of your future profession’s issues (i.e., IDEA, access to medical care, religious freedom, ADA), and work with your professional association on their initiatives;
- Volunteer with your professional organization’s political action group;
- Support those who fight for programs that assist individuals whom you will serve (NAMI, ACLU)
- Use facts and science to contest misinformation in all areas (congress.gov, govtrack.us);
- Attend a peaceful protest.
Find issues that are meaningful to you, those that you can support. We must carry on the work of those before us, even in uncertain times, even if it seems unpopular. It is our turn to take ethical action, act with grace, and be/become the necessary leaders. GenXers and Boomers have worked to get us this far, and we are not finished. As we continue to advocate, we welcome you to stand with us and be ‘Compassionate’ and “Courageous”.
