If you haven’t yet read it, be sure to check out an article run on Monday by the New York Post about an executive of a major American company resigning and losing out on $1 million in severance pay because she refused to lose her ability to speak out publicly on issues that concern her–and frankly should concern us all.
Jennifer Sey, a brand president and guiding force of Levi’s for the last 23 years, signaled she may have lost her job but she would not lose her voice. The company thought her public positions, even after leaving, would reflect badly on the image of the company
Sey’s column was a great read and reminds all of us about the importance of courage and character. When people of influence stand silent out of fears of the unknown–or our of fears of known pressures to go along to get along–society loses.
We need to hold true to Evelyn Beatrice Hall’s capture of Voltaire’s reasoning–that while I may not agree with you, I will defend to the death your right to speak.
Where now is the passion of Patrick Henry, when he put forth that he would be doing a disservice to the country and be guilty of disloyalty and treason by not speaking truth to power?
I’ve written before about the litmus test that divides patriots from political weasels who are quick to try to lead the parade when it is already in motion. We have slid a long way down the banister of integrity from our forefathers’ pledge in the Declaration of Independence:“We Mutually Pledge To Each Other Our Lives, Our Fortunes, And Our Sacred Honor.”
More Americans need to embrace Jennifer Sey’s courage in building lives structured around principles. She lost $1 million and her job–but held fast to her soul. One can never find the right way without a working moral compass. Too many of us sit back and wait for someone else to lead. We all have the capacity to lead by example. Maybe what it takes is for each of us to be like news anchor Howard Beale in the movie “Network” when he declared, “I’m mad as hell and I’m not going to take it anymore!”.
Speak truth to power and free your soul.
Dr. Ed Moore served for many years as the president of the Independent Colleges and Universities of Florida (ICUF) and has served in both the legislative and executive branches of Florida government. Prior to ICUF, Dr. Moore was staff director for policy, for Worker’s Compensation, for Medical Liability and for Public Safety and Security in the Florida House of Representatives. He also worked in the private sector for 21 years.
