Grappling with the Gray #111: Hand over your credentials?

Have the critics of Cancel Culture turned on their own?

That's the question that drives the conversation when Deb Coviello The Drop In CEO™, 🟦 Melissa Hughes, Ph.D., and Jolanta Pomiotlo join the ethics panel to Grapple with the Gray.

Here is our topic:

FOX NFL Sunday’s special in honor of Veteran’s Day unleashed a firestorm of controversy when New York Giants legend and Fox commentator Michael Strahan failed to put his hand on his heart during the National Anthem–although he was standing respectfully throughout.

The son of a 23-year army veteran, Mr. Strahan later explained that he was “caught up in the moment… looking at all these young sailors standing there at attention before the National Anthem played, and I’m thinking to myself how incredible [it is] to be that young.” Friends from all corners have defended him as a patriot.

Nevertheless, in the days that followed, Mr. Strahan has been accused of being unpatriotic, shameful, a disgrace, and hating America, with many have called for him to be fired from his job.

From the time the Pledge of Allegiance was introduced in 1892, etiquette required you to raise your right hand, flip your palm down, and point it toward the flag in a gesture not unlike the Nazi salute. 

With the rise of fascism in Europe, the U.S. Flag Code of 1942 dispensed with the salute and substituted placing the hand over the heart. Almost as an afterthought, the Code included placing that hand over the heart for the National Anthem as well. However, common practice seems more concerned with standing respectfully and less concerned with where you place your hands.

In September, 2007, President Barack Obama was accused of not putting his hand over his heart during the Pledge of Allegiance. Fact-checkers rushed to his defense: apparently, he did have his hand over his heart for the Pledge, then lowered it during the National Anthem.

If that was an acceptable answer for the president, why not for Michael Strahan? Have we become hypersensitive since Colin Kaepernick first took a knee rather than standing? Or is this just another case of cancel culture gone amok?

Meet this week’s panel:

Deb Coviello, aka the Drop in CEO, is an author, speaker, podcast host, and silver medalist curler who coaches C-Suite leaders of today and tomorrow to navigate challenges with confidence.

Melissa Hughes is Founder and Principal of the Andrick Group, applying recent brain research to improve employee engagement, company culture, team dynamics, and innovation.

Jolanta Pomiotlo is Vice President of Information Technology for EXSIF Worldwide who manages innovative initiatives aimed at reducing operating costs, improving profit, and growing revenue.