Baseball is Back-And there was this speech........

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The book I have been reading is about empathy. I want to relate that to something personal for me because I am very upset with the lack of empathy I am witnessing from many people across our nation. I truly believe we are losing our ability to empathize. Perhaps Sherry Turkle really has a point and one way to help fix it. 
Last night was the opening season game for the Washington Nationals. I watched Dr. Fauci throw the first pitch. I watched as every player kneeled in solidarity for BLM during the Star Spangled Banner.  I watched them all stand for the National Anthem. And then I watched the game. 
But.....
What really struck me was the speech that was aired while all the players stood in unity holding a long black ribbon. It was Morgan Freeman's speech that struck a chord with me and it has everything to do with what our country is going through right now with social injustice. We need more people to show empathy. 
Here is what he said:

      In order to achieve effective change and create a new canvas of optimism, empathy must lead the charge. This moment signifies our charge, our brotherhood, our unity. Equality and unity cannot be until there is empathy.
    Today and every day, we come together as brothers. As equals. All with the same goal to level the playing field, to change the injustices. Equality is not just a word, it’s our right. Today we stand as men from 2 nations on 6 continents. Today, we are one.   - Morgan Freeman    7/23/2020


Comments

  1. UnknownJuly 26, 2020 at 4:34 PM

    I agree that there is a lack of empathy and it continues to get worse. We need to teach our children empathy by being role models for them and setting high standards to follow. I will start the school year using many good books on empathy that children can relate to. These will be discussed virtually and they can easily make posters to describe what empathy means to them. These can be shared in small groups where students can see how others relate. We also need to respect that people have different opinions and this is okay. Listen carefully to what others are saying, reflect on it and then make your own choice. Empathy should also be taught at home by parents and guardians who model at home for their children. Something is definitely missing here and we as educators need to figure it out.

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  2. Angie HuntJuly 27, 2020 at 8:02 AM

    Your post makes me wonder how well we have been doing either as parents or educators in teaching empathy. Personal experience matters. Culture matters. Parenting matters. This has to be a priority.

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    Replies
    1. DDLSdoveJuly 27, 2020 at 11:28 AM

      I agree that empathy needs to return to our hearts and become something we instill in and teach to our students and own children. In the last 20 years, it seems like our society has turned into the "me" generation. I think about my parents and how much they sacrificed for the good of their country when they were growing up having been born in the 30's and 40's. They just got on with life and made the best of things. These days, everyone is whining about the smallest inconveniences. I wonder how much technology has had a part in this, if at all. Just a thought.

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  3. Caitlin CordovaJuly 30, 2020 at 2:50 PM

    Reading your blog post is timely for me: I was just having a conversation with a coworker on Facebook about how everyone is looking out for only themselves. We've moved from a collectivist to an individualist society. Or maybe it is that there are individuals in collections (Facebook groups, educators vs. parents, political parties, etc) that cannot or will not empathize with one another.

    I appreciate the fact that a national sports team made a statement on TV, but these statements need to go deeper than the visual. The protests have died down in some areas of the country (or protesters are being hit hard by troops in other parts). How can we encourage our politicians to actually have empathy and enact change in the policies?

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