Tag: election 2020

RECK, respect

May Cooler Heads Prevail; God Bless America

Matthew Vasko

It’s tricky to navigate the issue of the events that transpired yesterday in Washington, D.C. from the perspective of respect, empathy, compassion, and kindness for all (RECK for all). It’s hard to hold everyone’s perspective in mind, because there seem to be so many perspectives. I want to open by saying that I mourn for the four lives lost; one woman was shot by Capitol Police and three people died from undisclosed emergency medical situations. I am deeply saddened by all of this. May they rest in peace.

Next, I want to say that we are all Americans. We all love our country, and we all want what is best for it. While I will always condone nonviolent protest as a form of free speech, I must admit that I believe that entering the Capitol Building was taking things too far. Sadly, I believe that January 6, 2021 will be viewed as a dark day in U.S. history, by future generations.

Standing back and making an effort to view this situation with objectivity, I believe that it’s time for us to call for everyone to treat one another with more respect. As Americans, we should have respect for our democratic institutions. We should have respect for one another. Let’s make an effort not to demonize one another. We are not enemies. Again, we are all Americans.

In times of deep unrest in seems almost comical to speak about love. But the facts are the facts and they do not change. The fact has been and remains that we should all make a greater effort to love one another. We need to look past partisanship and find ways to discover common ground. It was reassuring last night to listen to the proceedings on the radio once congress was back in session and hear our congress people working together for the good of the country. We need more of that.

Let’s let yesterday stand as the high-water mark for how heated things became in this Presidential election season. From here, let’s make an effort to cool things off. Let’s all work to help cooler heads prevail, and may those cooler heads be our own.

With love,

Matthew Vasko

Founder, Century of Compassion

compassion, connection, empathy, Love, Obliterate Hate, RECK, respect

Election 2020: The Tale of Two Echo Chambers

Matthew Vasko

I have been watching a LOT of news coverage this week and, for the life of me, I can’t understand why none of the major news media is reporting on the fact that this presidential race is so incredibly close, because no one from one side is listening to what the other side is saying. This presidential election shows in stark detail how every American now lives in their own personal echo chamber, with everything they already believe to be true simply echoed back at them through various media.

I have been seeing posts by people on the left saying that X number of people voted for President Trump even though they knew he was a racist, misogynist, xenophobic… and on and on. My response to that is NO, they did not know any of those things. People on the right don’t watch the same news you do, don’t see the same social media you do, and sure as heck don’t listen to the same talk radio you do. This country is incredibly divided and the way Americans consume media is only making it worse.

My mission in life is to think of, view, and treat all people with respect, empathy, compassion, and kindness (RECK). And I make an effort to do that with everyone, no matter where they fall on the political spectrum. And I have to tell you… no one who supports Donald Trump believes anything the mainstream media says about him. They just don’t. It doesn’t matter if the mainstream media says these things are facts. Supporters of Donald Trump listen to to Donald Trump, and they believe him. So, when President Trump says he has done more for Black people than any president since Abraham Lincoln, they say “Damn right!”

I think if any American wants to try to understand people on one side or other of the political divide then we need to start to consume some of the same media those people do. Otherwise, I feel like we are simply going to continue to misunderstand each other. And we also need to make a solid effort to stop vilifying one another. We are all Americans. We all love our country. We all want what is best for our country… we simply have different views of what that is.

Personally, I would like to see people come together and try to talk out there differences. I am fully aware of what a tall order that is, but I don’t feel like this level of division in our country is sustainable in the long run. And the more we see one another as enemies the more we will fight like enemies. And I for one do NOT want another Civil War.

Let’s keep working on ourselves. Let’s work hard on ourselves not to hate anyone. Oppose that which you see as wrong-headed, but make an effort to love one another. We can bring this country back together. We can reduce the divide. And reducing the hate starts in our own hearts.

Much love to you all,

Matthew Vasko

Founder, Century of Compassion

RECK

Is One Presidential Candidate More Respectful, Empathetic, Compassionate, and Kind Than The Other? Does It Matter?

Matthew Vasko

We are in the final week of the race for the White House and some people are calling this the most important presidential election in recent history. This might be true. There is a pandemic happening and lives and livelihoods hang in the balance. I make an effort to talk about things that are happening in the world on this blog, and when I do so I also make an effort to be apolitical. It is absolutely essential to me that Century of Compassion and RECK for All are for ALL people, regardless of their political beliefs or affiliation.

Still, there seems to be a big difference in the candidates for president this year. And I wonder what the people who read this blog think about these candidates with regard to the values of respect, empathy, compassion, and kindness. I expect that some would say that one candidate does probably display more of these traits than the other. But I feel like even if people were willing to concede that their candidate displays fewer of these traits, they would also argue that these traits don’t matter all that much in a president.

What do you think? Where do you stand on this issue? Are the qualities of respectfulness, empathy, compassion, and kindness important in a president? Do they say something or anything about that person’s character? I would love to hear from people. Of course, my only condition would be that I would like to see people be respectful to one another in the comments.

This is what I would like to see more of: I would appreciate seeing more Americans having civil conversations with one another about the wellbeing of our nation. I would like to see all Americans working together for the betterment of our nation. Sometimes, it seems like we are a long way from that dream being a reality.

I invite people to chime in. I know people are really passionate about this election, but, again, please be respectful towards one another and the candidates.

Thanks!

Matthew Vasko

Founder, Century of Compassion