Compassion is to look beyond your own pain, to see the pain of others.
~ Yasmin Mgahed
I have become increasingly concerned about how well-intentioned critical thinking activists, in their angst, resort to mocking and ridiculing in the political arena.
Presenting opposing views, seeking reasonable answers to reasonable questions, and holding our leaders accountable are part of the democratic process.
The lack of courtesy displayed by some of our elected leaders is unacceptable. It is incumbent upon those in leadership positions to model good behaviour.
Those who advocate for change must also be courteous. When we resort to attacking character by shaming, name-calling and swearing, our ability to achieve a laudable goal is impaired. We must focus on behaviour.
When we project hate, we entrench those with an opposing view.
Compassion is an antidote to hate
Your true character is most accurately measured by how you treat those who can do 'Nothing' for you.
~ Mother Teresa
Sometimes, a leader appears to have such an inflated sense of self that they seem impervious to being mocked or ridiculed.
I suspect that such a leader is so insecure that they have become vulnerable to manipulation from invisible powers.
While we must not tolerate bad behaviour, shaming and mocking them is counterproductive. Feeling hated increases the likelihood of becoming resentful and vengeful.
Those who engage in disseminating hatred for corrupt leadership may become targets for discrimination - and we have.
Poor behaviour becomes self-destructive. Foreign leaders are already calling our prime minister a disgrace to any democracy and observing that Canada has become a symbol of civil rights violations under his watch.
Curious about his need for control, I took the time to verify what I suspected about his upbringing. The impact of the mental health challenges his mother experienced in his infancy helped me better understand his need for control. Compassion then became possible.
Closing thoughts
We must make our homes centres of compassion and forgive endlessly.
~ Mother Teresa
We contribute to the problem when we display overt pleasure from seeing others mocked and ridiculed.
Compassion is the antidote to hate. Heart-centred communication is key to conflict resolution.
To attract good leaders, we have to model good behaviour.
Mother Teresa once said that some people come into our life as blessings and some as lessons.
I am grateful for the tough lessons we have had the opportunity to learn over the years.
Compassion is contagious. Let's pass it on and attract more compassionate leadership.
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