The Kindness Matters Podcast
So. Much. Division. Let's talk about how to change that. Re-engage as neighbors, friends, co-workers and family. Let's set out to change the world. Strike that. Change A World. One person at a time, make someone's life a little better and then do it again tomorrow and the day after that, through kindness.
Kindness is a Super-Power that each of us has within us. It is so powerful it has the potential to change not only your life but those around you, too. Let's talk about kindness.
The Kindness Matters Podcast
Humanity Over Politics
What happens when everyday acts of kindness clash with the harsh rhetoric of politics and social media? Join us on the Kindness Matters Podcast Mini Edition as we explore this pressing question. I share my personal journey of trying to hold onto the belief that the world is fundamentally kind, even as political divisiveness seems to tell a different story. Through the poignant tale of Corey Comperatore, whose widow refused to speak with President Biden out of respect for her late husband's Republican beliefs, we highlight the deep societal rifts that challenge our sense of unity. Yet, despite these challenges, we underscore the power of individual actions in nurturing kindness and bridging divides.
In a world where heated rhetoric often overshadows humanity, how can simple acts of kindness make a difference? Discover how treating each other with respect, even when our political views clash, can transform the social landscape. We delve into the importance of recognizing our shared desires for safety and happiness, emphasizing that kindness doesn’t require changing your political stance but simply acknowledging our common humanity. Tune in to find out how small, compassionate gestures can make a world of difference, fostering a more united and understanding community. Let's all strive to be the change we wish to see.
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This podcast is part of the Deluxe Edition Network. To find other great shows on the network, head over to DeluxeEditionNetworkcom. That's DeluxeEditionNetworkcom. Kindness we see it all around us. We see it when someone pays for someone else's coffee or holds the door open for another person. We see it in the smallest of gestures, like a smile or a kind word. But it's different when we turn on the news or social media. Oftentimes what we hear about what outlets are pushing is the opposite of kind. Welcome to the Kindness Matters Podcast. Our goal is to give you a place to relax, to revel in stories of people who have received or given kindness, a place to inspire and motivate each and every one of us to practice kindness every day. Hey, hi there everybody, and welcome to a mini edition, a mini version of the Kindness Matters podcast.
Speaker 1:I've had something on my mind for the last few days. As some of you may know me, you probably know what it is. Most of us like to hang out in our happy place, right? It's that place where we feel safe and secure and happy. For some people it's gardening. For other people it's crafting. I know my wife loves her crafting. For me it's podcasting, because I get to research stories and look for people and organizations that make the world a better place. Right, that's how I stay happy and sane. But here's the thing I woke up on. Well, on Saturday afternoon, I was thoroughly convinced that the world is a kind place and that all the people in it were nice to each other, because that's what I'm focused on, right, that's where my mind goes. People are generally nice and kind to each other. And then imagine my surprise that we're not as kind as I thought we were.
Speaker 1:For a while now and I mentioned this in another episode kindness and politics I've known that there are unkind people in the world, and politics is an especially unkind place. Right, we know about the hateful language that some politicians use, where they refer to their opponents with dehumanizing terms. They call them vermin, they call them scum, whatever the case may be, and so I've always known about that. But what followed? The days after Saturday afternoon? I saw some pretty ugly stuff from the left as well Really hateful ugly comments from people on the left, including one from a staffer from Democrat Congressman Bennie Thompson's office. She was rightly fired for that, for her comment and I don't know how to reconcile this. This blows my whole mindset, right. The world isn't a kind place as much as I would like to think it is.
Speaker 1:There was a death last Saturday at that rally. His name was Corey Comperator. I hope I got that right. I checked a couple of different pronunciations and I hope I get that right. Please know if I didn't get that correct. That it is. I tried. I'm sorry, corey Comperator. Tried. I'm sorry. Corey Comperatore.
Speaker 1:His widow, helen, gave an interview to the New York Post where she said quote I don't have any ill will towards Joe Biden. I'm not one of those people who gets involved in politics. I support Trump and that's who I'm voting for, but I don't have any ill will towards Biden. He didn't do anything to my husband A despicable 20-year-old kid did. And then she also said something that kind of makes me sad. As someone who tries really hard to encourage people to be kind to one another. It was really hard for me to read. On Sunday, the President of the United States, joe Biden, tried to call Helen to offer his condolences, but she didn't take the call. She told the New York Post quote my husband was a devout Republican and he would not have wanted me to talk to him. Unquote.
Speaker 1:I remember reading that and thinking is this where we're at now? Is this where we can't even talk to a person from a political party that we don't support? Is this where we're at? Josh Shapiro, though? The governor of Pennsylvania described Corey as a girl dad. He was a firefighter, he was an honest-to-goodness hero and his political affiliation did not define him. They were secondary to who he was as a human being, and that's the bottom line here. Folks, I don't expect much from politicians. There's been a lot of talk lately about unity and coming together and toning down the rhetoric and keeping the heat down. That's fine. We've heard that before from them, haven't we? The only ones that can change us are us. We have the power to heal our country.
Speaker 1:In a lot of my social media posts about this or for this podcast, I oftentimes use the hashtag BeTheChange, because I firmly believe that each of us can change the world, or at least our part of the world. I challenge each and every one of you as you go out into the world every day with the goal of making your part, your part of the world, a better place. If you're walking in your neighborhood and you see a neighbor with a political sign, that's not promoting the person that you would vote for. Smile at them, wave at them, say hello, compliment their lawn, compliment their garden. If you see someone with a hat or a t-shirt that expresses a different political opinion than yours, smile at them.
Speaker 1:It costs you nothing to be kind. You don't have to change who you're going to vote for. You don't have to change who you're going to vote for. You don't have to change your political views. You're being kind to another human being and that's how we can change the world. That's how we can change, that's how we can tamp down the fires of rhetoric ourselves, because we do this and we speak out kindly. We can change all of this. You don't have to change your views in order to make another human being's life a little better, a little easier. We are, each and every one of us, a human being. We each have the same desires for ourselves and our families to be safe, to be happy. It's a universal need. Let's all try to help each other reach it. That's all I'm going to say on this today. You've been listening to the Kindness Matters podcast. I'm your host, mike Rathbun. Have a fantastic week.
