Compromise

There's a fine line between being willing to compromise and being a sell-out.  But it's often the fine lines in life that need to be walked, rather than running to the extremes on any end of a spectrum.  Recently, the University of Texas made several concessions to a number of student athletes of color who had petitioned the school regarding the institution's racist history.  I wrote in a recent blog post (Whitewashed History ) that there's a real danger in failing to understand history in its historical and cultural context.  Imposing present cultural and even moral norms on people of history is unfair and ultimately leads to misunderstanding the past, rather than being able to properly evaluate it, learn from it, and grow from it.  We don't have to agree with everything that people of bygone eras did, said, or thought, but to dismiss their humanity and their genuine search for life's meaning, not to mention their laudable accomplishments, is disingenuous at best and short-sighted hypocrisy at worst.

Like individuals, institutions are a mixed bag.  There are things in any institution's past that are commendable and other things that are lamentable.  Rather than destroying every imperfect institution, a more measured and positive approach is to be willing to change the things that need to be changed and to celebrate and maintain the things that have served the organization well.  I believe that's what the University of Texas has done and the leaders of this fine institution should be applauded for their willingness to listen to the student athlete's concerns and to address those concerns in a way that honors the university's past and present, and paves the way for a better future.  There was certainly some level of compromise that had to be reached, but this compromise will allow for continuing civil discussion on how best to proceed in the days to come.  If you are interested in the specifics of the changes made, you can find them here. The Longhorns Respond

We live in a complicated world and we live in confusing times.  What will serve us best as we face the present and plan for the future, is not to destroy all our shared histories, but rather to honestly and fairly evaluate the past so that we might chart a better course for the years to come.  And hopefully, future generations will be fair and kind to us when they evaluate our world. - Shay