The Woodhull Institute extends its deepest sympathies to all of the victims and families of the tragic shooting this past Saturday in Tucson, Arizona. To those that lost their lives, to those that were wounded and to the families that must now deal with the aftermath of this horrible tragedy, our thoughts, hearts and prayers go out to each and every one of you.
Representative Gabrielle Giffords lies in a hospital fighting for her life. Christina Green born on the day of another unfathomable tragedy, September 11, 2001, only nine years old, her heart and mind stilled by a rifle shot. Six people killed, 14 others wounded.
While the motives of the shooter, alleged to be Jared Lee Loughner, are still unclear - the nation is coming to terms with the understanding that the vitriolic political rhetoric that seems to have taken over the internet, print media and airwaves can not continue.
The Woodhull Institute supports every person's right to voice their opinions, every person's right to try to move their agenda's forward, to try and convince others that their goals are the right goals. But to do so as part of civil discourse, as part of an open and informed debate, not by initiating personal attacks, name calling, or using imagery and verbiage that invokes violence.
It is time for all representatives and activists on both sides of the aisle to remember to focus on the issues and not on hatred. Your opponents may not agree with you but they too are human beings and deeply believe that what they stand for is the best for the country. They too have friends and families, they too are entitled to "Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness."
The need for ethical leaders could not be more glaring than it is today. Woodhull's Credo could not be more relevant than it is today:
To manifest, teach and learn in our relationships ethical conduct and compassionate leadership.
To create an environment of trust, respect, kindness, safety and open-mindedness.
To commit to honoring a higher purpose through our work.
To act with honesty, compassion and courage.
To recognize the essential equality and dignity of all.
To avoid negative gossip.
To bring up problems constructively and directly.
To find common ground in our differences.
To be of service to one another and to the community at large.
To take the risk of speaking out about injustice.
To be grateful for what others have done for you.
To be responsible for our actions and to practice forgiveness.
To tithe time and income.
To celebrate the achievements of ourselves and of others.
To understand that what we send out into the world comes back to us.
As our hearts and prayers go out to the victims and families of this horrible Tucson tragedy, the Woodhull Institute will take this opportunity to recommit to training and encouraging a new generation of ethical leaders who will lead with dignity, grace and respect.
Sincerely,
The Staff and Faculty of The Woodhull Institute
The Woodhull Institute for Ethical Leadership
Business office: 1551 Kellum Place, Mineola, New York 11501
646-435-0837
www.woodhull.org
info@woodhull.org
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Our thoughts and prayers are with Representative Giffords, the victims of Saturday’s shootings, and their families in these critical days.
Now is the time for political leaders, on both sides of the aisle, to set an example for civic discourse that will tackle our country’s most pressing issues. They must be responsible for the power of their words. In recent years, we have witnessed an increase in divisive, unpunished language, where hate is an acceptable form of political discourse. Representative Giffords, Gabby as many know her, understood this.
The words we use, and the vast echo-chamber that is the United States of America, as President Clinton said about Oklahoma City, “fall on the serious and the delirious alike, fall on the connected and unhinged alike.” We at TWHP actively promote and believe in passionate voices participating and fighting for issues that they care deeply about—but what has happened to this debate is it is no longer about “hashing it out” for what is best for America. Sheriff Clarence Dupnick spoke honestly when he said his fear is that this shooting makes him worry that we will soon be unable to find reasonable and decent people willing to subject themselves to public office.
But that is exactly what we cannot do. We need, more than ever, a diversity of voices and leadership, acting in concert, collaboratively, and engaging in effective discourse with the best interest of our country in mind. We need the women like you—louder, stronger, and bigger—to join with remarkable women like Representative Gabrielle Giffords. She was always encouraging more women to join her and lead; she was a woman who came to Congress because she believed that we all must participate in our democracy.
We owe it to girls like Christina Green who, at just nine years old, was interested in politics and going to visit her Congresswoman, and tragically lost her young life. Women’s leadership is needed now, but our gender cannot serve as a free pass to unacceptable extremist speech. The consequences of our actions affect generations to come, and threaten the blessing of having this day. Everyone must be more responsible to one another. This is our opportunity to recognize—and rectify—the current state of our country’s political discourse.
Sincerely,
The White House Project Staff
© 2011 The White House Project
434 West 33rd Street, 8th Floor, New York, NY 10001
www.thewhitehouseproject.org
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