Hopeful Voices Rise

As we continue to process and respond to last week’s horrific acts of violence–the assassination of Charlie Kirk and a school shooting in Colorado–our team here at the Dignity Index is continuing to engage with community members in Utah and with members of our online community.

Today I want to share some of the comments we’ve received or we’ve seen on social media–some from friends we recognize from our dignity community, others from people who have discovered the Dignity Index on their own.  

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In July we launched our online Dignity Community on the Circles platform, where we share resources, thoughts, and conversation about how to advance the dignity movement. These are thoughts from members of this group:

"I have been seeing some posts from my neighbors, former students, and colleagues. What I am worried about is people demonizing others for what they think, say, or believe to the point that they feel lives should be ended. I am hoping that this may become a tipping point in favor of dignity. I am going to present the Index to my Holocaust Literature class tomorrow."
 

"I did get to share The Dignity Index with a different friend based on a conversation about what happened today. I hope she finds it helpful. I plan on following up tomorrow at lunch with her."
 

"We live in Evergreen Colorado, the site of an active shooting today that left four people in the hospital. I posted today’s blog post on contempt [Tom Rosshirt’s last essay] on LinkedIn today with an appeal to people to check their social posts for the spirit of contempt. Someone else’s pain should not be the currency we use to score points for our side."
 

"As a high school civics/history teacher in Utah I have students and family who currently attend UVU. My students came to class today with questions, and naturally, thoughts that ranged all over, similar to what we’ve all seen online. I just finished talking with my 12 year old daughter about what she’s hearing at school and her own worries. I will be teaching the Dignity Index to my students as I do each year. I will continue to believe that we can/must learn to talk, to care,  listen, share values, and show dignity. It is not an option to think otherwise."
 

"I’ve been sharing The Dignity Index this week with people. They may not be ready for it at the moment, but even knowing it exists might be helpful at some point."

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The Index has been mentioned on social media platforms, including Instagram, X, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

Here are a few of those posts:

(In response to a post) "I would look at engaging with and sharing @TheDignityIndex  - they are effective at measuring the dignity we treat each other in our speech and encouraging self-reflection. Both are sorely needed right now."
 

"Love this tool to help us change for the better! I’m sharing it as far and wide as I can. Thank you!"

(From a school administrator in California) "...So we pause before we post. We refuse to share graphic content. We check on students and make room to process quietly and face to face. We choose words that move up the scale from contempt toward dignity, words that treat people as people, that we would say the same way in the same room, that make it more likely we can live together tomorrow."

"This is so critical. I hope we can adopt this worldwide."  

"Today we're seeing 1's and 2's on the scale being lobbed around. He's not human or the Right is not human or the Left is not human. THEY are responsible for this. Who is THEY? Our neighbors. That's who. Violence is not the answer. Dignity is. Choose dignity, not contempt."

"I had nieces and nephews present at this shooting. One was just a few feet from Kirk when he was hit. My nephew will never be the same again. The closer we get to #8 on this scale, the fewer shootings we will have. All the laws in the world won't make a difference if we don't learn to value ALL human life. Even those--maybe especially those--with whom we disagree."

"This is so critical. I hope we can adopt this worldwide. " 

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Finally, I want to leave you with these two hopeful messages from Utah politicians.  

From an opinion piece by Senator John Curtis:

President Russell M. Nelson recently wrote that every person has “inherent worth and dignity” as a child of God, and that “anger never persuades, hostility never heals, and contention never leads to lasting solutions.” His call for more dignity and respect, for peacemakers who build bridges of understanding rather than walls of prejudice, is exactly what America needs now.

From a video that Governor Spencer Cox shared with all Utah students:

"Right now, it may feel that rage is the only language in our politics. But you have the power to choose differently. Every person you meet is more than a party, more than a label, more than a post online. Everyone deserves dignity and respect."

I hope that knowing we are all part of a growing dignity movement will help you navigate these turbulent times. Please know how much we appreciate you and are cheering you on in your efforts to bring more dignity into this world. 

Tami

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The Dignity Index team could not be more excited to announce Dr. Donna Hicks, author of the landmark book Dignity, as our keynote speaker for our October 19-20 Dignity Leadership Summit in Salt Lake City.
 
Dr. Hicks is an international conflict resolution specialist, working out of the Weatherhead Center for International Affairs at Harvard University. She has worked in conflict resolution for more than 30 years, including in the Middle East, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Colombia, Cuba, Libya and Syria.
 
We on the Index Team – and much of the world – came to know her through her work in Northern Ireland, where she joined a panel with Nobel Peace Prize winner Archbishop Desmond Tutu. During their time together, Donna explained her “Dignity Model” to the Archbishop, and he urged her to write a book about it.  
 
Donna’s book, Dignity, published in 2011, was a landmark work for us. It contained the insight, the experience, and the research to validate the power of dignity as the tool for easing divisions, preventing violence and solving problems in the world today. We met Donna in 2020, and since then she has been a mentor and partner to us – and her work continues to inspire and inform ours.
 
Please join us October 19-20 to hear from the woman who wrote the book on dignity, the remarkable Donna Hicks.