THE
DIVERSITY
CREED
By
Gene Griessman, Ph.D. © 1993
(A Spanish translation of "The Diversity Creed" is below)
I believe
that diversity is a part of the natural order of things—as natural as the trillion shapes and shades of the flowers of spring or the leaves of autumn. I believe that diversity brings new solutions to an ever-changing environment, and that sameness is not only uninteresting but limiting.
To deny diversity is to deny life—with all its richness and manifold opportunities. Thus, I affirm my citizenship in a world of diversity, and with it the responsibility to….
- Be tolerant. Live and let live. Understand that those who cause no harm should not be feared, ridiculed, or harmed—even if they are different.
- Look for the best in others.
- Be just in my dealings with poor and rich, weak and strong, and whenever possible to defend the young, the old, the frail, the defenseless.
- Avoid needless conflicts and diversions, but be always willing to change for the better that which can be changed.
- Seek knowledge in order to know what can be changed, as well as what cannot be changed.
- Forge alliances with others who love liberty and justice.
- Be kind, remembering how fragile the human spirit is.
- Live the examined life, subjecting my motives and actions to the scrutiny of mind and heart so to rise above prejudice and hatred.
- Care.
LEARN MORE ABOUT
ABRAHAM LINCOLN KEYNOTE AND SEMINAR ON DIVERSITY
To contact Gene Griessman about doing a keynote or seminar on diversity for
your organization, call us at 404-256-5927, or send an email at
gene@achievementdigest.com.
WHY
I WROTE THE DIVERSITY
CREED
By Gene Griessman, Ph.D
"Let us not be blind to our differences--but
let us also direct attention to our common interests and the means by which
those differences can be resolved. And if we cannot end now our differences, at least we
can help make the world safe for diversity."
John F. Kennedy American University, Washington, D.C. 10 June, 1963
John F. Kennedy never made a more profound
statement than the one in which he dreamed of a world safe for diversity. No
American President has ever had a better dream.
Kennedy’s statement led me to write The Diversity
Creed. It was first published in a university textbook I wrote entitled
Diversity: Images And Opportunities that was published by HarperCollins
in 1993. That little book is now out of print, but the creed has taken on a life
of its own. The Diversity Creed has been used in diversity training programs,
quoted in speeches, and published around the world. It’s a poster, a handout,
and a greeting card. It shows up on collections of quotations on the Internet
and it has been reprinted in countless publications.
I wrote the creed by asking this question: What
would people have to do to create a world safe for diversity?
The creed begins with a preamble on the nature of
diversity. Diversity is not something unusual or bizarre. It is the natural
order of things. Sameness is what is unnatural. Moreover, diversity is not just
normal, it’s desirable. It is nature’s way of finding solutions to problems.
After the preamble there’s a list of citizen duties
that are necessary to sustain diversity.
Tolerance is the most basic duty, and in relative
terms, the easiest to perform. Even individuals who are ethnocentric can be
tolerant. They may think their own way is best; but, at the very least, they can
be willing to tolerate those who are different, those who just might not quite
measure up to them.
Looking for the best in others is a higher duty.
This requires that we recognize that few things or individuals are entirely good
or entirely evil. By mental and moral discipline, we focus on what is good.
Then comes justice. Justice means dealing in an
even-handed with people who are different. The Book of Leviticus contains this
ancient admonition: “You shall have one manner of law, as well for the stranger,
as for one of your own country.” (Leviticus 24:22)
Avoiding conflict is a still higher duty. Rivers of
blood have been shed because tyrants big and little decided that different is
bad.
Citizens of a diverse world must be practical.
Knowledge must be sought to know whether, when, and how action should be taken.
An understanding of diversity can produce
community. Alliances with people of good will can be formed. Individuals acting
alone sometimes achieve much, but causes generally die out if they do not gain
organized support.
Being kind. Tennessee Williams once told me,
“Nothing that is human offends me unless it is unkind.” I agree, and worked
that thought into the creed.
The examined life is, of course, a reference to the
quotation by Socrates, “The unexamined life is not worth living.”
Caring is the capstone of the creed. I decided to
add this admonition after reading a Wall Street Journal article about the
effects of desegregation at Occidental College. According to the article,
Occidental College had launched an ambitious diversity program. Its student
body had become a wide spectrum of races, religions, and ethnic groups, and they
were getting along reasonably well. But they had formed isolated, homogeneous
cliques that studied together, ate together, and partied together. One student
was quoted as saying that they “tolerated” one another. Hopefully, he said, one
day we will “care” about one another.
Caring for other people is many levels higher than
tolerating them. We are most like God when we care.
To
purchase your
own autographed copy of a beautiful, full-color copy of The Diversity Creed, click
here.
My one-man play, “An Evening With Abraham Lincoln” contains a powerful section on diversity. When I performed it for Fleet Mortgage Group’s diversity training program, Patricia Ryan, Fleet’s Director of Compliance, made this comment: “Dr. Griessman as Abe Lincoln brought a powerful message to Fleet’s diversity training program. The participants were excited to have their photo taken with someone who, as one participant stated, ‘moved my soul.’” Mark B. Van Kirk, a senior manager with Price Waterhouse LLP, who worked with the Fleet program, stated: “His spiritually moving program is a highlight of any event.” For information about a performance for your organization
We have produced a wonderful video of the complete Lincoln performance that contains the diversity module. This is the live performance before an audience of over 20,000 at the Georgia Dome.
To order your video of "An
Evening With Abraham Lincoln," click here. (You may also purchase the video at
www.amazon.com)
THE DIVERSITY CREED
Translated Into Spanish
Yo creo que diversidad
es un parte del orden natural de las cosas —natural como un billón de las formas
y las gradaciones de los flores de la primavera o las hojas del otoño.
Yo creo que diversidad
trae nuevas soluciones a un medio ambiente cambiante, y que monotonía no es
interesante y tiene limitaciones.
Negar diversidad es
negar la vida — con su suculencia y oportunidades múltiples. En consecuencia yo
afirmo mi ciudadanía en un mundo de diversidad, y con ello
responsibilidad...
Sea tolerante. Viva y
permita vivir. Comprenda que ellos quien no causan daño no se debe temer,
ridiculizar,
o dañar — aunque ellos son diferentes.
Mire por lo mejor en
la gente.
Sea justo en el
comportamiento con los pobres y los ricos, los débiles y los fuertes, y cuando
sea posible defender los jovenes, los viejos, los frágiles, los indefensos.
Sea cordial,
recordando la fragilidad del espíritu humano.
Viva la vida
inspeccionada, sujetando los motivos y las acciones al escrutinio del mente y
del corazón para subir sobre prejuicio y odio.
Tenga cariño.
To contact Gene Griessman about doing a keynote or seminar on
diversity for your organization, call us at 404-256-5927, or send an email at
gene@achievementdigest.com.