Labels

As with most worthwhile endeavors, the May 2020 launch of the Highland Institute for the Advancement of Humanity, at the outset of a global pandemic, came about after significant effort and by overcoming many obstacles.

Just as proud parents behold a newborn baby with both hope and looming responsibility, we see Highland Institute’s future as bright, even though the manner and speed of its growth are naturally uncertain. However, we do believe we have a good start in the Institute’s descriptive name, its powerful Manifesto, and its beautiful home here at Highland. A major goal for next year is to establish and nurture an Advisory Board for Highland Institute.

While we hope and strive to position Highland Institute to make a small dent in the universe, we are also aware of countervailing forces, just as in our beloved Star Wars movie giving rise to an appreciation of the power of the Dark Force.

Since its inception, Highland Institute’s short but colorful history has attracted a certain amount of negative attention by being labeled as Racist, Sexist, and Elitist. In fact, as many of you know, Highland has been the target of vandals e.g. building egged, wires cut, and graffiti sprayed with “Racist,” “Eat the Rich,” and “Kill the Cops,” among other messages. Add to this a few personal anti-semitic and xenophobic labels, and all of a sudden, labels lose their force, leaving us with the overall message that Highland Institute is finally on the map!

Though I am, after nearly 70 circles around the sun, finally old enough not to be rattled by negative labels, the reaction does raise the legitimate question – how do we regard ourselves in the face of these unwarranted negative labels?

Since we believe in principles over labels, here are a few principles we stand by: preservation of resources and traditions; emphasis on the known over the unknown; and avoidance of unintended consequences by favoring incremental over radical change. We promote both family and religious values, strive to keep our promises, and live within our means. 

We value the time-tested institutions of society over the social engineering project du jour, and caution against rapid change to our Constitution, which has served us so well for 245 years. 

In a world where identity-politics often seems to trump citizenship, where schools teach critical race theory and consider sexual identity a lifestyle choice, Highland City Club strives to be the consummate Safe Space to preserve the traditional values that many of us have grown up to cherish.

In light of the above, how others label us is their business.

— Sina.