The Color of Bipartisanship | Keith Coleman | TEDxLone Star College

Key Concepts

• The Purple Mark: A new mindset for unity despite differences, blending individual values into a stronger collective.
• Joint Billets: Military assignments where different branches (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps) work together, symbolizing inter-service unity.
• Standing in Your Purple: The act of embracing unity, understanding diverse perspectives, and working towards a common good, transcending individual or group affiliations.
• Unity Despite Differences: The core message advocating for cohesion and collaboration in a divided world.

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The Crossroads and the Purple Mark Mindset

The speaker identifies the world as increasingly divided ("red and blue") and at a critical crossroads, necessitating a new mindset. This mindset, termed "The Purple Mark," is about taking individual values and blending them into something stronger, fostering unity without sacrificing individuality. It emphasizes coming together despite inherent differences.

Origin of "Purple": The Marine Corps Experience

The speaker, a 22-year Marine Corps veteran, explains the origin of the "purple" concept from his service in "joint billets."

• Joint Billets: These are assignments where all branches of the armed services (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps) are brought together to work collaboratively.
• Service Colors: Each branch has its distinct color (Army: green; Navy: blue and white; Air Force: blue; Marine Corps: scarlet and gold). Recruits are initially taught fierce loyalty to their service colors, sometimes leading to inter-service conflicts.
• Unity in Joint Operations: In joint billets, service members are instructed to set aside their individual service colors. The only color recognized is purple, which is derived from combining the red, white, and blue of the national flag. This symbolizes working as "our nation as one," transcending individual branch identities.

Exemplifying "Standing in Purple": General Colin Powell

General Colin Powell is presented as a prime example of someone who "understood and stood in his purple."

• Humble Beginnings: Powell came from immigrant Jamaican parents, was raised in the Bronx, New York, and rose to the highest levels of the military.
• Leadership in Unity: He understood his role as a leader for everyone in the armed services, regardless of gender or branch (Army, Navy, etc.). He carried himself in a manner that exemplified unity and pride for all, embodying the "purple" mindset.

Personal Introduction to "Purple": Sister Adele's Discipline

The speaker shares a personal anecdote from his high school years that introduced him to the concept of "purple."

• Disciplinary Transfer: Due to conflicts with his public high school leadership, his parents sent him to a Catholic school for discipline.
• Initial Resistance: Influenced by friends' warnings not to show weakness to "strong" Catholics, he initially feigned ignorance when the principal, Sister Adele, asked if he understood the school rules.
• The Cane and the Knife: During their first meeting, after his repeated feigned misunderstanding, Sister Adele unscrewed a cane on her desk, pulled out a long knife, and placed it before him, asking, "Now, do you understand?" This moment prompted the speaker to realize the folly of his resistance and "act right."
• Developing Relationship: Sister Adele subsequently checked on him daily, fostering a close relationship.
• Graduation Revelation: At graduation, Sister Adele revealed that the knife-cane was not hers; she had confiscated it from another student and used it as an opportune teaching moment.
• Sister Adele's "Purple": The speaker interprets Sister Adele's actions as "standing in her purple." She possessed authority but chose not to dominate. Instead, she "reached out and carried" him, inviting him to walk with her in her purple, demonstrating unity and care regardless of his race or background.

Call to Action: Stand in Your Purple for Global Unity

The speaker concludes with a powerful call for everyone to "stand in their purple" to foster unity in the country and globally.

• International Relevance: The colors red, white, and blue are not exclusive to the United States flag; 30 other nations also incorporate them, making the call for unity an "international thing."
• Practical Application: He urges individuals to apply this mindset in daily life:
  • Neighborly Disputes: "Back up. Stand in your purple. See what they have to say."
  • Marital Difficulties: "Back up. Stand in your purple. See what she has to say."
• Core Principle: "No one's always right and no one's always wrong. It's not important on being right. It's important on getting it right."
• Inclusive Message: The call to stand in purple applies universally, regardless of one's status ("saint or sinner"), race ("black or white"), economic standing ("rich or poor"), or background. The ultimate goal is to unite and bring others together.

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Synthesis/Conclusion

The speaker passionately advocates for "The Purple Mark" – a mindset of unity and collaboration that transcends individual differences and affiliations. Drawing on his military experience with "joint billets" and a transformative personal encounter with Sister Adele, he illustrates how embracing a collective identity, symbolized by the color purple, leads to stronger outcomes. The core message is a call to prioritize "getting it right" over "being right," urging individuals to actively seek understanding and unity in all aspects of life, from personal relationships to national and international contexts. The ultimate takeaway is to "stand in your purple" and inspire others to unite.