Letters: Renewed empathy could heal country's divisions

"To all those who are demanding empathy for Charlie Kirk and his followers, let me remind you of his own words: "I think empathy is a made-up, new age term that - it does a lot of damage." He was wrong - about empathy and a lot of other things - but you are right in crying out for compassion as we see our culture divided by terror and inhumanity. We all need to practice more understanding, especially toward those who think, look and speak differently than we do."

"Early in our lives, wise people taught us to treat others the way we want to be treated. Today, media personalities mock that idea as "woke." But it's the basis of human freedom: Whether or not we agree with each other, we owe each other kindness and forbearance, free of judgment and bigotry. That's one thing we all want and deserve."

"While I do not think the author intended it as such in his doting, the Pied Piper comparison he made was surprisingly appropriate. Remember, the Pied Piper was not a hero but rather a villain. When someone is called a Pied Piper, it suggests they are a charismatic but ultimately untrustworthy leader who uses their allure to draw followers into a potentially harmful situation they don't fully understand. In calling Charlie Kirk "the Pied Piper of the conservative movement," the author inadvertently hit the nail on the head by describing how many of the working-class conservatives have been duped into voting against their own interests."

Empathy and compassion are essential to mend cultural divisions fueled by terror and inhumanity. A public figure dismissed empathy as damaging, yet calls for understanding remain necessary. The Golden Rule—treat others as one wishes to be treated—underlies human freedom and requires kindness, forbearance, and the rejection of judgment and bigotry. Labeling a leader a Pied Piper implies charismatic manipulation that can lead working-class supporters to act against their interests. Policy efforts to remove plastics represent an important step toward protecting water and environmental resources.

Read at The Mercury News