Watch your words
Pedro Perez, WG'06
Issue date: 1/23/06 Section: Perspectives
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Last month, many of us attended a Wharton Leadership Lecture to learn from General Peter Pace, one of the highest-ranking and most influential military officials in the U.S. and someone who is often regarded as a paragon of leadership. He is an impressive speaker and a likeable man, so you almost want to ignore his truly bigoted and deeply insulting comments about gay men and women. You almost want to forget that such an esteemed leader can espouse them.
In response to a question about the military's discrimination against gay soldiers, Pace said, "The U.S. military mission fundamentally rests on the trust, confidence and cooperation amongst its members. And the homosexual lifestyle does not comport with that kind of trust and confidence and therefore is not supported within the U.S. Military."
Perhaps many listeners could overlook his comments, simply shifting uncomfortably in their seats and mentally clucking "too bad for the gays." I urge you not to ignore these comments. Imagine the furor that would have erupted had he said the same thing about women, an ethnic minority or a religious group. Saying that gay people can't be trusted is just as abhorrent as saying that Hispanics can't be trusted or that you can't have confidence in Jewish people. Seeing his comments in this light makes it clear just how prejudiced and hateful they are.
Some people may wish to absolve General Pace for his comments because he is just following the military's policy which in turn, just follows the orders of the federal government. Such absolution from personal accountability is insidious and dangerous. Pace, like each of us, is entirely responsible for the words that come out of his mouth. Despite having to abide by the policy, he could have answered the question in many less pejorative ways. Instead, he chose to use extreme, divisive, and insulting language. Furthermore, Pace holds a significant amount of influence over the military's and this country's attitudes toward gays, and he has evidently decided to use that influence to promote an environment in which it is acceptable to discriminate against homosexuals by claiming that we are untrustworthy and undependable.
While Pace, like all Americans, is entitled to free speech, he does not deserve to be held up by the Wharton community as an example of a leader whom we should strive to emulate. Pace may be a charismatic and effective leader, but he is not an admirable one. An admirable leader promotes fellowship and respect not bigotry. Wharton can do better than Peter Pace.
This school is one of the most tolerant and inclusive places that I have ever known. Unfortunately, General Pace's comments illustrated all too clearly that the world beyond Wharton still has a long way to go - especially when it comes to the fair treatment of gay men and women. Once we leave Wharton, if we simply lead with the same tolerance and inclusiveness that we have used in the halls of Huntsman, we can all be better leaders than Peter Pace.
In response to a question about the military's discrimination against gay soldiers, Pace said, "The U.S. military mission fundamentally rests on the trust, confidence and cooperation amongst its members. And the homosexual lifestyle does not comport with that kind of trust and confidence and therefore is not supported within the U.S. Military."
Perhaps many listeners could overlook his comments, simply shifting uncomfortably in their seats and mentally clucking "too bad for the gays." I urge you not to ignore these comments. Imagine the furor that would have erupted had he said the same thing about women, an ethnic minority or a religious group. Saying that gay people can't be trusted is just as abhorrent as saying that Hispanics can't be trusted or that you can't have confidence in Jewish people. Seeing his comments in this light makes it clear just how prejudiced and hateful they are.
Some people may wish to absolve General Pace for his comments because he is just following the military's policy which in turn, just follows the orders of the federal government. Such absolution from personal accountability is insidious and dangerous. Pace, like each of us, is entirely responsible for the words that come out of his mouth. Despite having to abide by the policy, he could have answered the question in many less pejorative ways. Instead, he chose to use extreme, divisive, and insulting language. Furthermore, Pace holds a significant amount of influence over the military's and this country's attitudes toward gays, and he has evidently decided to use that influence to promote an environment in which it is acceptable to discriminate against homosexuals by claiming that we are untrustworthy and undependable.
While Pace, like all Americans, is entitled to free speech, he does not deserve to be held up by the Wharton community as an example of a leader whom we should strive to emulate. Pace may be a charismatic and effective leader, but he is not an admirable one. An admirable leader promotes fellowship and respect not bigotry. Wharton can do better than Peter Pace.
This school is one of the most tolerant and inclusive places that I have ever known. Unfortunately, General Pace's comments illustrated all too clearly that the world beyond Wharton still has a long way to go - especially when it comes to the fair treatment of gay men and women. Once we leave Wharton, if we simply lead with the same tolerance and inclusiveness that we have used in the halls of Huntsman, we can all be better leaders than Peter Pace.