In this holiday season, we would all like to turn our
thoughts to joy, peace, and “goodwill toward men.” Given the state of our
bitter domestic politics, the continuing war in Ukraine, and the horrific Hamas
attack on Israel and the Israeli response, feelings of kindness are difficult
to come by. Our well of empathy is all but drained. Compassion for human suffering can be
fleeting in the wake of continuous tragedy.
Short of watching the Hallmark Channel 24/7, is it possible
to place ourselves in the holiday spirit to bolster our mood for the coming year?
Can we maintain compassion when the constant torrent of suffering through news
sources causes fatigue and wears down our capacity to care?
I am going to suggest a perspective for processing world
events that has helped me remain compassionate. It is not a viewpoint wrapped
in holiday pageantry. It avoids the solution for tolerating tragedy and surviving
compassion fatigue advocated by Pig in
the comic strip, Pearls Before Swine. When faced with bad news this sensitive
character hides under the bed covers.
My alternative starts from the premise that humanity is
complicated. It recognizes that it is not easy to find a moral center in
disputes like the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Each conflicting narrative has
a complex history. It is my responsibility to study past events in order to
understand the dispute. When an individual, a religion or a nation believes it
has the only way forward, it causes compromise, world order, and stability to
go off the tracks.
Let me start with the simplest of examples. During this
season of celebration, I wish everyone “Happy Holidays” rather than “Merry Christmas.”
I sometimes receive uncomfortable stares indicating I must be disrespectful of
Christmas. In fact, I am making a conscious effort to recognize the dozens of
important December holidays that have nothing to do with Christmas. “Peace on Earth”
requires a broad perspective and the willingness to honor the celebrations of
all humanity.
My second point involves our families, communities, and fellow
Americans. Let us make a commitment to celebrate what we have in common as we
work to respect and understand each other’s different points of view. For example, we all can agree to show
gratitude for our first responders and to service members who are not able to
join us because they are away, keeping us safe.
Moreover, in the upcoming national election year we can all recognize
that the privilege of voting is as important as who we vote for. The least we
can do in a moment of reflection is to wish every fellow American good health
and happiness for the year ahead—and mean it.
Things become
more difficult when faced with tragedies abroad that require our compassion. Support
for the war in Ukraine is slipping as the conflict enters an extended
stalemate. The shocking attack by Hamas
in Israel has divided public opinion on the appropriate Israeli military
response. Hamas employed barbaric methods to massacre 1200 civilians and took
240 hostages, including 10 Americans. So far, over 18,000 Palestinians have
been killed in Gaza, including many women and children.
Like most Americans,
I find it difficult to reconcile the horror of this conflict with the message
of the holidays. Worse, no compassionate solution seems possible.
Several factors
have helped me avoid compassion fatigue. First, I gave myself permissible to
feel empathy for the suffering of both the Israeli and Palestinian people. I
recognized that it was my responsibility to study and understand the history of
the conflict and the positions of both sides, free from the emotions caused by
violent soundbites on the news. I decided no one could fault me for believing
that serious violations of humanitarian law by one-participant does not give
the other license to do the same.
Second, I came to
the realization that in a complex tragedy of this magnitude, there are many
different perspectives at work. The diplomats seeking the release of hostages
have a contrasting role from the elected leaders looking to gain public support.
Those in charge of the military are focusing on issues far removed from those
that concern the humanitarian organizations. Ironically, the only participants
sharing the same emotional response are the families burying their dead on both
sides of the conflict.
I was encouraged
by the two University of Pittsburgh Professors, one Jewish the other Muslim,
who recently came together to provide a forum for dialogue and compassion on
Pitt’s campus. According to the December 6, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, “The two
hour event centered on what compassion looks like locally and nationally during
tumultuous times.”
Lastly, the
weekly Obituary column in a recent issue of the Economist magazine rejuvenated my enthusiasim for compassion. It
tells the story of the 74-year-old Jewish peace activist, Vivian Silver, who
spent her later years organizing 45,000 Israeli and Arab-Israeli women into an
organization called Women Wage Peace. Ms. Silver was confirmed killed in the
Hamas attack on October 7. Her son was asked what Vivian’s reaction to the new
war would have been. He replied, “This is the outcome of not striving for
peace.”
After all the
carnage, I can hope that more antagonists on both sides will now listen to this
message. I will show compassion for the actors who are willing to compromise
for a lasting peace in the Mid-East and elsewhere. Happy Holidays!
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