Introduction
- Barbara Jean Walsh (UUMUAC board member) introduces speaker Dan Kenney, a retired teacher and founder of Rooted for Good (formerly DeKalb County Community Gardens).
- The focus of the talk is The Dignity Index, a tool created in 2022 by the University of Utah and partners through the UNITE initiative to measure dignity vs. contempt in language.
What is the Dignity Index?
- An 8-point scale:
- 1–4 → contempt, dehumanization, divisive speech.
- 5–8 → dignity, respect, constructive dialogue.
- Purpose: to ease divisions, prevent violence, and foster healthier debate.
Key Themes
- Definition of dignity: rooted in the Latin dignitas (“worthy, having value”), aligned with the Unitarian Universalist principle of inherent worth and dignity of every person.
- Donna Hicks’ work: dignity violations drive conflict, divorce, war, and revenge; dignity can heal divides.
- Contempt vs. dignity:
- Contempt fuels polarization, violence, and broken relationships.
- Dignity fosters respect, inclusion, and problem-solving.
Illustrative Stories
- Special Olympics 1995: athletes used disposable cameras backwards as telescopes to see President Clinton—lesson in misjudgment and perspective.
- Historical change: institutions for people with disabilities largely closed since 1968, showing progress is possible.
- Arthur Brooks: warns of cultural addiction to contempt, driven by media business models.
- Amanda Ripley: contempt dominates political speech, inciting division and violence.
Examples of the Index in Action
- Leon Mug (Rwanda, 1992): “wipe out this scum” → Score 1 (dehumanizing, violent).
- John McCain: bipartisan cooperation → Score 6 (respectful, collaborative).
- Hillary Clinton (2016): “basket of deplorables” → Score 3 (moral contempt).
- Desmond Tutu: recognizing humanity even in child soldiers → Score 8 (universal dignity).
Call to Action
- Building blocks for a culture of dignity:
- Admit misjudgments.
- Practice bravery.
- Name the problem: contempt.
- Embrace the solution: dignity.
- Measure, manage, mobilize.
- Encouragement to take the Dignity Pledge and use the Index in personal relationships, not just politics.
- Emphasis: democracy requires healthy debate, and healthy debate requires dignity.
Closing
- Barbara Jean Walsh invites listeners to learn more at Dignity.us and UUMUAC.org, encouraging membership and engagement.
✅ In essence: The podcast argues that contempt is tearing society apart, while dignity—respecting the inherent worth of every person—is the antidote. The Dignity Index provides a practical tool to measure and encourage dignified speech, helping bridge divides in families, communities, and democracy itself.
Would you like me to condense this even further into a one-paragraph executive summary you could use for newsletters or outreach?
