A friend of mine just celebrated his 94th Birthday. That in itself is sufficiently rare to warrant comment but it isn't the entire story. He is also still practicing law, writing wills and trusts, contracts and acting as a trusted advisor to many families, some of whom knew him as children and even grandchildren. He still goes to court, and I am told by many who know him that he is a formidable practitioner. Not anyone you would want to be facing as an adversary.
I offer this detail to make a point. My friend is engaged, active, opinionated and not without considerable wit; all faculties that I suspect contribute to his remarkable life and career. There is one other thing worth mentioning; he is the most polite, good natured person I have had the pleasure of knowing. You would be hard pressed to find anyone--and I include those who have faced him in a court of law, who has anything to say about my friend other than he is a good man.
At a time when our role models are all too often people who disparage, contend, and belittle others, it is remarkable to find someone whose life is an example of what we were taught was the way we should always treat others, with patience, good humor and respect. I have observed that attitude is infectious. Even the most obnoxious of people seem to rise above themselves in his presence, as if they realize on some level that it would only reflect poorly on them should they behave as they customarily do.
That is what role models should do, show us how to behave. Instead we have people seeking high office who believe it appropriate to demean other human beings because of their political beliefs, race, gender, or any other difference. The remarkable thing is that more of us don't call them on it. Some inertia seems to prevail such that we nod, or put a practiced face on, but stop short of saying 'excuse me--what gives you the right to say what you did?
I want to be crystal clear, it is never ok to let such behavior slide by. It is never acceptable to give tacit approval to someone who would diminish another out of prejudice, hatred, or bigotry and it is certainly no more excusable because they were raised that way. If we don't draw a line in the sand we are no better than those who feel it their inalienable right to dehumanize others.
That's one of the many things I love about my friend. Even the most over the top, miserable specimen's I've come across simply do not utter a single disparaging remark in my friend's presence. He has lived a life of such moral clarity that no one crosses the line in his company. What would our world be like if he was not the exception?
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