Hello?! There are ladies present!
EUROPE - This week I was in a meeting. Present in the room were three men, including myself and four women. Each of these women is very respectable, educated and polished. At the beginning of our meeting, one of the men made a very off-colored joke. I was offended at what he said and was embarrassed for him. I even think he was embarrassed, because he turned red. In addition to offending me, I was most concerned about the women in the room. His joke was about women. Two of the women in the room are his employees. I wondered how he dared make such an offensive comment and still hoped to maintain our or his employees’ respect.
This is not the first time I have encountered this, nor will it be the last. Unfortunately, I have seen this happen more often in my time in Europe than I have in the United States. I get the feeling that some men think the same way as Silvio Berlusconi does, who when asked about his indiscretions stated, “Well, I”m not a saint.” None of us are Saints but we can sure try to be. Should this be any excuse for men, or women for that matter? Certainly not.
Many have said it before but we are losing the thread of common decency that used to permeate Western society. I am grateful for parents who taught me to 1) not be perverse 2) respect and honor women. I really think we are missing this on both sides of the Atlantic.