The laws of empathy

(ES)

On January 8, 2011, the Arizona Rep. Gabrielle Giffords was shot in a public ceremony in Tucson. In the attack, died of a gunshot Christina Green, a nine year old girl whose death shook U.S. society.

Days later, in a tribute to the victims, President Obama delivered a touching speech from which I extract some paragraphs in memory of the victims.

“We recognize our own mortality, and we are reminded that in the fleeting time we have on this Earth, what matters is not wealth, or status, or power, or fame -– but rather, how well we have loved -- and what small part we have played in making the lives of other people better.

And that process -- that process of reflection, of making sure we align our values with our actions –- that, I believe, is what a tragedy like this requires.

For those who were harmed, those who were killed –- they are part of our family, an American family 300 million strong. We may not have known them personally, but surely we see ourselves in them. In George and Dot, in Dorwan and Mavy, we sense the abiding love we have for our own husbands, our own wives, our own life partners. Phyllis –- she’s our mom or our grandma; Gabe our brother or son. In Judge Roll, we recognize not only a man who prized his family and doing his job well, but also a man who embodied America’s fidelity to the law.

And in Gabby -- in Gabby, we see a reflection of our public-spiritedness; that desire to participate in that sometimes frustrating, sometimes contentious, but always necessary and never-ending process to form a more perfect union.

And in Christina -- in Christina we see all of our children. So curious, so trusting, so energetic, so full of magic. So deserving of our love. And so deserving of our good example”

Empathy is defined as the cognitive ability to perceive in a common context what another individual may feel, in other words, the mental and emotional identification of a subject with the mood of another.

If I were to describe the laws that determine the degree of empathy, I would say that there are two mainly:

1. The degree of empathy from one individual to another is inversely proportional to the geographic distance that separates them. The further away from each other, less capacity for empathy.
2. The degree of empathy from one individual to another is directly proportional to the existence of a common context. The more experiences shared between both, more capacity for empathy.

This video from MSF of April 2011, contains the testimony of a victim of violence in Cote d'Ivoire which describes how soldiers have entered firing at his house and have killed a 5-year girl of several gunshot in the neck.



We don't know this girl's name nor we have her picture, but without knowing her, I also see in her all of our children. I can not imagine how her life would be, but I am convinced that she has parents and siblings who loved her and enjoyed her laughter and games, and comforted her when she cried. Her absence is a black abyss in their hearts and mine.

All victims of violence in Cote d'Ivoire are part of our family. No matter if we share with them a common context or not, or whether they are our neighbors or live thousands of miles away.

The girl killed vilely in Cote de I'voire has had no posthumous tribute, no president of any nation in his speech has recalled her.

Do not forget them. Neither she, nor Christina, or the thousands of children who die in any conflict, because to forget innocent victims is like die slowly with them.

Let our values be truly aligned with our actions.


TAKE ACTION:

Click on this link and send the post to the Permanent Mission of France to the United Nations (france@franceonu.org). We have a responsibility to protect the people of Cote d'Ivoire.



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