Hello all! If you’ve read my blog you know it’s all about starting conversations related to the change management discipline, how to think and practice differently, and helping each other become the best change management practitioners and enthusiasts we can be. This month’s post is different.

I live in Minnesota, the state where Renee Nicole Good was murdered. Someone I love lives less than a mile from where ICE agents have been going door to door.

Here are some things I’ve been feeling/thinking since January 7:

• Sadness, anger, helplessness, empathy, hope
• The amount of privilege I have as a cis gendered white male
• While discrimination, racism/being targeted for who I am, and being treated as less than human is not something I experience, it has been a daily occurrence for many people for a long, long time.

Here are things I’ve either done or plan to do:

• Donate money and/or time
• Re-read the book 1984
• Research 1930s Germany
• Educate myself on the Constitution, documents that spell out the purpose of ICE/the scope of what they can/can’t do, what rights do people have in relation to ICE, immigration law, the history of immigration in the U.S., etc.

I want to circle back to two more things I’ve been thinking about. I’ve been thinking about them primarily for me but my hope is each of us will strive to do these things, too.

First, I want to remember that humanity is more important than political party, ideology, or point of view. I want to remember that underneath all the noise on social media a woman lost her life and a family was changed forever. I want to remember that when I interact with people who see things differently than I do that I am interacting with fellow human beings. I want to be passionate, assertive, and humane.

Second, as tempting as it is and as satisfying as it can be, I want to avoid all or nothing, black and white, demonizing thinking. Examples of this type of thinking include:

• All supporters of (insert person or party) are stupid
• All undocumented immigrants are bad
• All ICE agents are evil people
• Any intelligent person would agree with (insert your belief)
• If you think that way (insert whatever way someone thinks that’s different than what you think), you’re an awful person and I won’t be associated with you

It’s easier to make things either/or, cut and dried. Plus, it makes me feel right and justified. I do know that I don’t like it and don’t think it’s right or fair when I’m the one on the receiving end of that behavior.

It’s easier to make things either/or, cut and dried. Plus, it makes me feel right and justified. I do know that I don’t like it and don’t think it’s right or fair when I’m the one on the receiving end of that behavior.

Closing thoughts

I don’t have the answers for how to humanely and effectively interact with people who believe things that to me are indefensible, but I believe it’s important for me to try.

Thank you for reading. Please take care.

Mike