SEATTLE — Boeing Co's communications chief Niel Golightly abruptly resigned on Thursday, following an employee's complaint over an article the former U.S. military pilot wrote 33 years ago arguing women should not serve in combat.
"My article was a 29-year-old Cold War navy pilot's misguided contribution to a debate that was live at the time," Golightly said in a statement included in Boeing's announcement.
"My argument was embarrassingly wrong and offensive. The article is not a reflection of who I am; but nonetheless I have decided that in the interest of the company I will step down," Golightly said.
I can't find 1987 polling on the issue, but a February 1991 Gallup poll -- taken about the same time the U.S. was still fighting the first, brief Gulf War -- 56 percent of Americans shared Golightly's position.
That's not dispositive. A lot of people can be for bad things. And the American public's mind has changed since then, for what it's worth: Most favor letting women serve in combat. What's more, Golightly isn't entitled to a plum position at Boeing -- if the PR guy is bringing a company bad PR, well, it's understandable he would step down.
Still, this is worrisome. We have to allow people to change their minds and grow. We have to allow that people might've been wrong about something three decades ago, and not have that be cause for losing a job today. For one thing, there are almost certainly things that you and I are wrong about right now that is going to look really embarrassing three decades from now. Things that will seem obvious then that aren't, maybe, now. Humility dictates that we let people move on from old positions -- if only for the sake of the Golden Rule and hoping we're treated with compassion (or at least fairness) when our own sins are revealed. But there's also a utilitarian, "an eye for an eye makes the whole world blind" aspect to this.
There are limits to how much we forgive old trespasses, and I can't offer a bright line that explains why Golightly should be given grace while somebody else shouldn't. But we have to occasionally let people be wrong about some things -- and we really have to let people be wrong 30 years ago -- or the cycles of recrimination will never end.
Still, this is worrisome. We have to allow people to change their minds and grow. We have to allow that people might've been wrong about something three decades ago, and not have that be cause for losing a job today. For one thing, there are almost certainly things that you and I are wrong about right now that is going to look really embarrassing three decades from now. Things that will seem obvious then that aren't, maybe, now. Humility dictates that we let people move on from old positions -- if only for the sake of the Golden Rule and hoping we're treated with compassion (or at least fairness) when our own sins are revealed. But there's also a utilitarian, "an eye for an eye makes the whole world blind" aspect to this.
There are limits to how much we forgive old trespasses, and I can't offer a bright line that explains why Golightly should be given grace while somebody else shouldn't. But we have to occasionally let people be wrong about some things -- and we really have to let people be wrong 30 years ago -- or the cycles of recrimination will never end.
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