Dan Rather and a Destroyed Legacy

Dan Rather has had a $70 million dollar lawsuit against CBS since they fired him in 2006. CBS says that he aired a piece on 60 Minutes II that reported President Bush received preferential treatment during his Vietnam War-era service in the Texas National Guard. After 44 years with the network Rather was "dumped" though he continued to receive $6 million a year. The courts have thrown out his case. Apparently he will continue to appeal.

Though not as high profile, Rather's situation is happening more and more to American employees. After devoting a lifetime to their profession many successful and competent workers are being let go by their employers. The reasons vary - from the need to lower costs to wanting to make room for younger, healthier folks with new ideas. But if Rather continued to take home a hefty sum without having to go to work why is he suing? And why do others wish they had the funds to do so also?

It's a matter of pride. It's a matter of feeling good about the work you spent a lifetime doing. It's a matter of ending your life knowing that you died with dignity, that you will be remembered in a positive light. It's a matter of not having a lifetime of giving the best you had only to have someone come along and discount it all with one sentence. Rather doesn't need the money. He needs to win to regain his pride. He needs to win to be able to die in peace. It's unfortunate that they only way he can do this is to go through the courts and ask for money. How does a person say to an employer that they destroyed their reputation and turned a life of service into a waste of time? And how unfair that is. And how untrue.

Retirement is as time when people do a personal review to see how they feel about the lives they've lived. They look at their accomplishments and their mistakes. They look at the good and the not so good. And maybe, they formulate a plan for the rest of their years to try to finish a job still left undone. But in the end we all want to know that we did our best and have left a positive mark on the world. Most of us don't touch the millions of lives that Rather did over his career. But we still want to believe that those we did touch are better for it. Being fired as your career is waning takes that opportunity from us. Getting the gold watch was much nicer.

All CBS had to do was throw him a retirement party, praise his past accomplishments and give him a plaque and they would have allowed him to leave with pride and saved themselves the time and cost of all the legal maneuverings. After 44 years, he deserved it. And so does every other American employee who has provided service over years and done their best. But that just isn't the way we do it anymore.

No matter what the courts say Rather will keep fighting. He has no choice. He is fighting for his legacy. I hope he wins.