Making It Right

A bar in Texas was at the center of a controversy when an employee posted a sign outside making light of domestic violence. The sign read, "I like my beer like I like my beer like I like my violence... domestic." When a passerby, who happens to to volunteer at a domestic violence shelter, posted the image on facebook and Instagram, her posts garnered national attention. While I find the sign offensive and insensitive, there's a silver lining to this story. When the bar owner learned of the incident, he decided to donate $1 from the purchase of every domestic beer during October in recognition of domestic violence awareness month. He not only took a bad situation and made it right... he demonstrated integrity and leadership.

There are actually two heroes in this story: the bar owner and the woman who cared enough to speak out. Because of her courage, the people who walk past that bar every day stopped to think about the meaning of that sign instead of just passing by and ignoring it or laughing at it. Her simple action changed the social norms in her community.

So that's my tip for today. If you see something, say something. Sometimes the simplest actions are like a pebble tossed into a pond-- they create ripples that continue far beyond the initial impact. As Gandhi said, You must be the change you wish to see in the world."