Dignity for All

Everyone, from parents and children to nurses, prisoners, taxi drivers and nations, is seeking the same thing: to be treated with dignity. Robert W. Fuller opens his book by arguing that a person's entire life can shift depending on whether that dignity is honored or denied.

To make the point, the book recounts the case of Evan Ramsey, who is serving a 210-year prison sentence for killing his high school principal and another student in Bethel, Alaska. Speaking with the criminologist Susan Magestro, Ramsey described being bullied for much of every school day and said that repeated complaints to his foster mother and principal brought no help. He urged others not to answer provocation with violence, saying that the choices he made had left him no hope, though others still could find it.

Fuller then defines dignity as respect and worth that belong to every person simply because they are alive. It means honoring yourself and others, recognizing that everyone has a right to exist and a place to belong, and appreciating the unique qualities and contributions each person brings.