Empathy

My Dear Ms. Liberty, 

Learning from those around me, and especially in my own growth, I have discovered that empathy is a sign of emotional maturity.

I am emotionally exhausted by those interviewed on television and social media who laugh about the visual of people in cages with alligators chasing and tearing into the flesh of frightened humans who have been taken from their families, jobs, and the safety of their homes into the unknown. The best of us find empathy for people stored in cages.

Some of the same mindset that cheered about alligators attacking human beings is now asking for prayers due to the floods that took them away from their families, jobs, and homes, also into the unknown. The best of us find empathy for them, too, despite their limits of the concept.

Elon Musk, former DOGE commander, with no experience of our agencies or in forensic auditing, especially government auditing, showed a lack of empathy as he slashed positions and agencies like USAID, leaving people without jobs and leaving Americans (including children in other countries) vulnerable without agencies they depended on, such as NAOO/NWS, Social Security, FAA, to name a few. Musk found humor in these drastic losses as he mimicked the "slashing," wielding a real chainsaw on stage. When it was all said and done, the supposed "large amount of fraud" was limited. What Musk claimed was fraud was not fraud, but personal political disagreement.

Musk said about empathy: “We’ve got civilizational suicidal empathy going on... The fundamental weakness of Western civilization is empathy, the empathy exploit."

It will be 40 years ago on July 13, 1985 since the Live Aid concert that was organized to raise funds for famine relief in Ethiopia and Sudan. Conceived by Sir Bob Geldof, it was a global event featuring simultaneous concerts at Wembley Stadium in London and John F. Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia. We will remember the best on stage: Queen, with Freddie Mercury's legendary set, David Bowie, U2, Elton John, Paul McCartney, Sting, Madonna, Phil Collins, The Beach Boys, to name a few...

Sir Geldof's answer to Musk, "The weakness? You ketamine-crazed fool. You sociopathic loser. Empathy is the glue of civilization. Empathy is the glue of humanity." Lady Liberty, I'm trying to find some empathy for Musk. Still, it is difficult as I have never been worth billions of dollars, bought my way into the White House, let alone experimented with drugs. However, I do like Geldof's example of empathy. It is the glue of humanity. Love ya, C~