Tag: civility

An Empathy Challenge from the Other End of the Political Spectrum

A reader presented me with a challenge when she wrote, “Laurie Levy, could you articulate with empathy the opposite viewpoints of the ones you express in this piece?” She was referencing Fear, Division, Loathing, and the Empathy Gap, and invited me to look at her Facebook page posts and comments to see if she is... Read more »
By Laurie Levy,
October 16, 2017 at 9:02 am • 

Fear, Division, Loathing and the Empathy Gap

Many Americans seem to have forgotten how to have empathy for others. Instead, they are filled with fear and loathing for those whose views differ from theirs. They reject civil discourse. Much like the proverbial “see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil” monkeys, they long to go on with their personal lives undisturbed.... Read more »
By Laurie Levy,
October 4, 2017 at 9:35 am • 

The Death of Antonin Scalia: Supreme Rudeness

I will confess right off the bat that I was no fan of the late Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia. Our politics could not have been more dissimilar. But I was disheartened that the immediate response of politicians, especially those who shared his views, was to begin shouting about his replacement before his body was... Read more »
By Laurie Levy,
February 15, 2016 at 11:23 am • 
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Vanya’s Baby Boomer Rant and Mine

“WE USED TO LICK POSTAGE STAMPS BACK THEN.  Obviously you’ve never heard of that. They didn’t just peel off ready made with sticky stuff on the back ­ the sticky stuff had to be triggered by your wet tongue. It took time.” These words are part of a brilliant monologue in the play currently at... Read more »
By Laurie Levy,
July 14, 2015 at 8:58 am • 

To the Folks Who Write Mean Blog Comments

I almost never read the blog comments at the end of my posts. I did it early on and felt like crying and quitting. How can so many readers not get that I’m trying to be humorous? How can so many of them say such mean things? How can they call me an idiot? Meet... Read more »
By Laurie Levy,
December 15, 2014 at 9:42 am • 

Seeing the Other Side: Helpful in Life but Maybe not in Blogging

I have always been the type of person who could see the other side. That’s not at all the same as agreeing, but at least I could acknowledge that there was one. This trait allowed me to keep peace in my family, refrain from arguing with folks whose politics differed from mine, and be a... Read more »
By Laurie Levy,
August 20, 2014 at 7:01 am • 
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Remembering the Holocaust and Thinking About Tolerance

Today is Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day. April 28, 2014, corresponds to the 27th day of Nisan on the Hebrew calendar. It marks the anniversary of the Warsaw ghetto uprising.  I vividly remember reading The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank as a pre-teen and being shocked that there was a Holocaust that... Read more »
By Laurie Levy,
April 28, 2014 at 10:15 am • 

A Thanksgiving Message: Choose Kindness and Caring

Thanksgiving feels like the right time of year to tell this story. It happened at the senior center in my community. As I pulled into the strangely busy parking lot, heading for my early morning session with a personal trainer, I noticed the center was unusually crowded with people who were not normally there.  Then... Read more »
By Laurie Levy,
November 25, 2013 at 8:40 am • 

The bullied end up the winners

Many years ago, a boy in middle school shared his anguish with me over being bullied.  He was subjected to the usual: taunting, teasing, shoves into lockers, prank phone calls, and even some cyber-bullying (which was in its infancy back then).  His life was an episode of Glee minus the slushies.  I’ll never forget what... Read more »
By Laurie Levy,
October 30, 2013 at 8:22 am • 
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A good side of ageism? Kindness & civility may finally be yours!

“Can you help me, dear?  I’m 90 years old and can’t find the information you want.”  Yes, I confess – I have enjoyed impersonating my 90-year-old mom to deal with the bureaucracy and lack of civility and kindness that continue to plague her life, and mine.  I have discovered there is a flip side to... Read more »
By Laurie Levy,
October 11, 2013 at 8:29 am •