We must reach out our hand in friendship and dignity both to those who would befriend us and those who would be our enemy.

The line urges an ethic of principled openness: extending “friendship” is not naïveté but a deliberate choice to meet others—supporters and adversaries alike—with basic respect. Pairing friendship with “dignity” signals boundaries: one can offer goodwill without surrendering self-respect or moral clarity. Read in light of Ashe’s public life, the sentiment aligns with nonviolent, bridge-building approaches to conflict—seeking dialogue and humane conduct even amid hostility. The quote’s force lies in its insistence that our behavior should be governed by our values rather than by others’ intentions, and that civility can be a form of strength rather than capitulation.