Grappling with the Gray #53: Sound Advisory?

At what point does principled protest become unprincipled parody?  That's the topic the ethics panels takes up on this episode of Grappling with the Gray.

Here's the scenario:

The NAACP recently issued a travel advisory declaring that people should avoid travel to Florida, claiming that the state “is openly hostile toward African Americans.” The advisory comes in response to Gov. Ron DeSantis’ [QUOTE] aggressive attempts to erase Black history and to restrict diversity, equity, and inclusion programs in Florida schools [UNQUOTE].

The National Review cited statistics showing that Florida ranks among the highest states in the nation for black home ownership, black employment, black business-ownership, and influx of new black residents, not to mention the highest rated education system in the country. 

Moreover, three black tourism organizations criticized the advisory as harmful to the economic well-being of the African-American community. And some have pointed out as ironic that the NAACP’s Board of Directors chairman, Leon W. Russell, lives in Tampa. The advisory appears to be a reaction to legislation denying AP credit for a course on African American studies and restricting funding for DEI programs on college campuses. 

Granting that the NAACP may have legitimate grievances, is a travel advisory an ethical response to the Florida legislation? Does travel in Florida really pose a clear and present danger to black tourists? 

If not, is the advisory a legitimate form of protest, or does it make a mockery of warnings against travel to legitimately dangerous destinations like Venezuela, Iran, and Syria, the same way branding feminists and Trump supporters as Nazis makes a mockery of the Holocaust?

Meet this week’s panelists:

Catherine Fitzgerald is a speaker, writer, certified coach, and founder of BrassTacksWithHeart - Executive Coaching. She works with C-level leaders and their teams as they navigate the choppy waters of aligning people, performance, and profits.

Stewart Wiggins is Chief Advisor at Induna Advisors, working to significantly increase company revenue by developing positive client reports and establishing solid business relationships.

Peter Winick works with individuals and organizations to build and grow revenue streams through their thought leadership platforms and is host of the Leveraging Thought Leadership podcast.

#ethics #politics #community #leadership #grappling