DFA Progressive Values group name change to Empathy Cafe.

Written by: Edwin Rutsch on Aug 10, 2009 11:19 PM EDT

Linked to groups: Courage Campaign, Democracy for NYC, Silicon Valley DFA, brought to you by Dean Democratic Club of Silicon Valley, Philly for Change, Capitol Area Progressives (CAP)

Greetings

The DFA What are  Progressive Values? group
has not had much activity for some time. I wanted to let you know I've just
changed the group name to Empathy Cafe. http://democracyforamerica.com/groups/2285-empathy-cafe

 From my work of interviewing people about progressive values I've come to see empathy as a core progressive value. It's also the value that Obama ran on. See this compilation video I made from Obama's speeches on empathy.
http://progressivespirit.com/Empathy/Obama/ObamaOnEmpathy.htm

So with that in mind I've been refocusing my work on supporting Obama's call for standing in each other's shoes.  Below is some of the work we've been doing.  More to come shortly.
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The national debate about Health Care reform has not involved a discussion about the importance of empathy and I feel that has been a real mistake. I believe that in the Empathy Cafe we have been right on target with telling stories about how empathy is needed in health care.  Several weeks ago, Obama visited Cleveland Clinic which is said to be one of the best hospitals in the country. I just found out that they have build their program around  empathizing with the patients. Here is a video of the presentation by Bridget Duffy MD. Her initial job title was Chief 'Empathy' Officer at Cleveland Clinic. 

National debate on Empathy and Justice
It took me a while to get the Empathy Cafe video edited since I was following the Sotomayor hearings. Conservatives have used the hearings as an opportunity to paint empathy in a bad light, to say the least.  There's been a full scale attack on the value of empathy by conservative senators and the Fox channel.  They have called it; bias, emotionalism, anti law, unfair, racist, idiosyncratic, lawlessness, social engineering, activism, troubling, on and on.  They are now declaring victory against the Obama 'Empathy Standard.'  I've been gathering material to edit into a video. We need to develop better arguments and stories to show how important empathy is in relationship to justice. More about that later.

Planning the next Empathy Cafe
I'll send out a further email shortly about the planning meeting for the next Empathy Cafe.
Let me know if you'd like to take part in the planning meeting.

We'd appreciate any feedback about the Empathy Cafe or video

all the best

Edwin Rutsch
Empathy Cafe Links
Website:  http://progressivespirit.com/Empathy
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/editapps.php?ref=mb#/group.php?gid=109928028209

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