I have been watching the news channels all day with their discussion
of the work of Dr. Martin Luther king.  I have to say I respect anyone
who’s willing to give their life for what they believe.  MLK worked
tirelessly for years in a cause he believed in his heart was right (and
history has proven what he believed was right.)  As I watched the
proceedings, one prominent black leader lamented that civil rights for
“African Americans” hasn’t progressed nearly far enough nor fast enough
(in his opinion.)  Hmmm. . .

How does this relate to business?  Let me relate a story.  A couple
or three years ago I was working with a company in the mountain states
that had a large hispanic workforce.  When I got to the company, they
informed me they were not being treated equally with the “white”
people.  As I looked into it, I had to admit it was true.  We made
adjustments.  We (as a management team) insisted everyone be treated
fairly, and that everyone be treated equally.  We made great progress,
and within 9 -12 months, there was no difference in how anyone was
treated.  Everyone was happy.

Then came the day (hopefully you remember) about a year and a half
ago, when the hispanics nationwide were going to have a strike, to
protest their poor treatment in the workforce.  The hispanic workers in
this company came to me and told me they wanted to be able to take the
day off to protest without losing their jobs (in all fairness, they
weren’t asking to be paid, just to be given the time off.)

What would you say?

My first thought was, “Gee, we’ve worked so hard to make you equal,
now you want to do something to show you’re not.”  I asked them if they
felt they’d been mistreated and that’s why they were wanting to
protest.  “No,” they replied.  “We’ve been treated fairly here, but in
some places hispanics haven’t been treated fairly.  We protest with and
for them.”

I went on to explain what they would lose.  By separating themselves
(by attending the protest while the “white” workers stayed and worked,)
they would wipe out everything we’d accomplished in terms of making
everyone equal.  By standing with the hispanics, they would no longer
be “just another employee.”  They would be hispanic employees.  That
would not be a step forward for them.  It would be a step back.

Ultimately, I gave them permission to be gone.  I told them the only
stipulation was that they accept whatever consequences there might be
in terms of thwarting their progress in being treated equally.  They
accepted and we went our way.  The next day, only two employees took
the day off.  They realized that what they stood to gain in the protest
wasn’t nearly as great as what they would lose in the day-to-day work
world.

Back to MLK, I think the thing that has hindered blacks in achieving
their “civil rights” is the same form of separation I saw in this
business.  The political correctness of using “African-American” has
dramatically hindered their progress (imo).  Because every time you say
that, you’re saying, “You’re not a regular American like the rest of
us, you’re an “African” American.”  Implying a difference.

Now I’m not a Scottish American.  I’m just an American.  Yes, my
ancestors came from Scotland.  But our family has been here for a long
time.  We’ve been citizens long enough that nobody in my immediate
family (or extended family, for that matter) knows much about
Scotland.  We’re not Scots, we’re not Scottish-Americans, we’re just
Americans.  I lived in Venezuela for several years, where much of the
population is black.  They don’t refer to themselves as
“African-Venezuelans.”  They’re just Venezuelans.

America is a great melting pot of cultures.  What we have in common
is we live in the best country in the world.  We have the highest
standard of living, we have the best record for protecting human
rights, and we accept everyone.

I invite all of us to stop separating and classifying ourselves. 
We’re all Americans.  That’s all we need to know.  We live in the land
of the free — one nation under God.  Indivisible, with liberty and
justice for all.  Let’s get rid of the divisions and the injustices
among us and get on with business!