Empathy …care …resistance …attunement …justice.
The path might be short, but often it is long and challenging. It is heartbreaking and hopeful. It is effective.
One might start out by physically helping someone who is being hurt. That could lead quickly to trying to stop those continuing to do harm. That’s what Alex Pretti did. You might start by interrupting your own plans when you know other people are in danger of being hurt, and then warning them. That’s what Renee Nicole Macklin Good did, and what Marimar Martinez did in Chicago. All three were responding with their natural human empathy. They helped others who were hurt or in danger. Simultaneously, they said, NO, to those who are hurtful. They non-violently tried to stop the harm being done and peacefully resisted the damaging power and force.
Many of us are responding with empathy to the suffering of Marimar Martinez, Renee Nicole Good, and Alex Pretti. Empathy leads to more empathy. The path to justice becomes clearer and wider.
Although natural, it is also the case that accurate empathy requires active attunement, a kind of ongoing formation and tempering.
For example, the suffering of those three always points beyond itself to the continuing suffering of those they tried to help. Our empathy shouldn’t forget about those immigrants who have suffered, continue to suffer, and need our aid and witnessing. We also shouldn’t forget to stand against, resist, and say, NO, to those who serve our corrupt and destructive government that inflicts harm. Our empathy requires caring for those suffering AND non-violently resisting the sources of that suffering.
Accurate empathy also guides us to the broader values that affirm and strengthen each of us in our commitment to healthy and flourishing community. Values such as the Golden Rule; welcome and hospitality; love; justice; non-violence; the common good; as well as respect, dignity, safety, a voice, care, and opportunity to flourish for all.
Empathy leading to more empathy, as well as our value of healthy community, move us in the direction of Nelson Mandela’s insight: “A man who takes away another man’s freedom is a prisoner of hatred, he is locked behind the bars of prejudice and narrow mindedness.” Oppressors must be stopped from oppressing and prevented from oppressing again. AND, empathy desires their liberation from hatred. We hope their seeing our empathy for those they have hurt as as well as experiencing our empathy for their own self-imprisonment may lead in that direction.
So, as we honor Marimar, Renee, Alex, and others who have sacrificed for a true community of love and justice, let us care for those whom they cared for. Let us peacefully oppose the actions of those that they peacefully opposed. And let us work toward the values that support a welcoming, respectful, loving, just, and flourishing community.
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