This weekend past, I went to the memorial of the late Rochelle Porteous, whose string of accomplishments is too long to include here, but her LinkedIn profile describes her as an “Advocacy, Communications and Policy specialist with extensive experience in Advocacy Campaign Design and Implementation.” She was also twice mayor of Inner West Council (Sydney). I was struck by just how many people from all walks of life talked about her strong advocacy, and perhaps every speaker, without fail, used the phrase "She pushed me to be better." She was admired by speakers from all sides of politics, and numerous marginalised groups, as well as advocates for multiple causes. What a remarkable legacy she left.
Looking at world events over the last few years I wonder how have we come to live in a world where showing kindness has now become a controversial act? When did extending a helping hand to those in need become something to debate rather than a basic expression of our humanity? Perhaps you don't agree, and I would love to hear your view.
Recent changes to DEI in the USA are nothing short of shocking. Disabled people will need to fight harder for basic accessibility, LGBTQ+ people need to amp up defending their right to exist authentically, and indeed for the TQI+ among them to be recognised at all. Refugees fleeing war and persecution face walls of hostility.
To those supporting deportation of migrants/refugees, please tell me if you would feel the same way if it was you trying to flee war or famine or seek a better life for your children and family? Why do you find these people scary? What do you fear you will lose by allowing them to stay?
I grew up as the daughter of a German migrant. He was born in 1940. I was always very aware of all the horrors of WWII, as well as my father's experiences growing up in post-war Berlin, and his experiences of the Berlin Blockade and the Wall going up. I was also exposed to ignorance and racism in the school playground, and I knew how it felt to be ostracised for being of German heritage, which at that time, that was not acceptable. I realise being of German ancestry is an unusual/ironic vantage point for my early understanding of racism, but it was instrumental in shaping my views about compassion, and feeling determined that the atrocities of the past should never ever be repeated.
So I am utterly flummoxed that the world is losing its compassion again. At least I think it is.
Recent political discourse has devolved into a theatre of cruelty. Leaders who mock, belittle, and bully are not only tolerated but seem to be celebrated in some circles. Of course I understand media and tech oligarchs are shaping the global narrative to suit their agendas, but I wonder about the reduced capacity for critical thinking from those buying into the narrative.
We watch as democratic institutions erode, as hate speech becomes normalised, as policies targeting the vulnerable are enacted – and each day brings a fresh outrage that somehow becomes yesterday's forgotten news, as we focus on today's political shockwaves.
How many organisations abandoned their DEI policies without a backwards glance recently? If you are one part of one of those organisations, please explain it to me, because I really want to understand your justification.
One of the most perplexing things to me is the rise of "Christian Conservatism" while betraying the very foundations of Christian teaching. I am not religious but know enough to recognise what I perceive to be hypocrisy. I know others have written it recently, but just to reinforce some key points, Jesus was a refugee. He was a radical who stood with society's outcasts, who preached unconditional love, who challenged the powerful and wealthy. He fed the hungry without checking their papers, healed the sick without asking for payment, and commanded his followers to love their neighbours as themselves. How is it even possible to twist those sensible and compassionate lessons into racism, misogyny, or the persecution of the vulnerable?
We stand at a crossroads. Will we continue to normalise the unconscionable, or will we reclaim our capacity for empathy, our responsibility to care for one another, our fundamental human duty to help those in need? We need to recognise that showing compassion is not weakness. It is the ultimate expression of strength.
To paraphrase/summarise one of the speakers at Rochelle’s memorial (Jamie Parker from memory), it takes courage to stand against the tide of hatred, to defend those who are different from us, to fight for justice when injustice seems to be winning. We must call out bullying when we see it, whether in our schools, our workplaces, or our highest offices.
This is not about politics or even about left and right – it is about our shared humanity. It is about who we are and who we choose to be. The measure of any society lies in how it treats its most vulnerable members. By that metric, we are failing.
here to edit.
Looking at world events over the last few years I wonder how have we come to live in a world where showing kindness has now become a controversial act? When did extending a helping hand to those in need become something to debate rather than a basic expression of our humanity? Perhaps you don't agree, and I would love to hear your view.
Recent changes to DEI in the USA are nothing short of shocking. Disabled people will need to fight harder for basic accessibility, LGBTQ+ people need to amp up defending their right to exist authentically, and indeed for the TQI+ among them to be recognised at all. Refugees fleeing war and persecution face walls of hostility.
To those supporting deportation of migrants/refugees, please tell me if you would feel the same way if it was you trying to flee war or famine or seek a better life for your children and family? Why do you find these people scary? What do you fear you will lose by allowing them to stay?
I grew up as the daughter of a German migrant. He was born in 1940. I was always very aware of all the horrors of WWII, as well as my father's experiences growing up in post-war Berlin, and his experiences of the Berlin Blockade and the Wall going up. I was also exposed to ignorance and racism in the school playground, and I knew how it felt to be ostracised for being of German heritage, which at that time, that was not acceptable. I realise being of German ancestry is an unusual/ironic vantage point for my early understanding of racism, but it was instrumental in shaping my views about compassion, and feeling determined that the atrocities of the past should never ever be repeated.
So I am utterly flummoxed that the world is losing its compassion again. At least I think it is.
Recent political discourse has devolved into a theatre of cruelty. Leaders who mock, belittle, and bully are not only tolerated but seem to be celebrated in some circles. Of course I understand media and tech oligarchs are shaping the global narrative to suit their agendas, but I wonder about the reduced capacity for critical thinking from those buying into the narrative.
We watch as democratic institutions erode, as hate speech becomes normalised, as policies targeting the vulnerable are enacted – and each day brings a fresh outrage that somehow becomes yesterday's forgotten news, as we focus on today's political shockwaves.
How many organisations abandoned their DEI policies without a backwards glance recently? If you are one part of one of those organisations, please explain it to me, because I really want to understand your justification.
One of the most perplexing things to me is the rise of "Christian Conservatism" while betraying the very foundations of Christian teaching. I am not religious but know enough to recognise what I perceive to be hypocrisy. I know others have written it recently, but just to reinforce some key points, Jesus was a refugee. He was a radical who stood with society's outcasts, who preached unconditional love, who challenged the powerful and wealthy. He fed the hungry without checking their papers, healed the sick without asking for payment, and commanded his followers to love their neighbours as themselves. How is it even possible to twist those sensible and compassionate lessons into racism, misogyny, or the persecution of the vulnerable?
We stand at a crossroads. Will we continue to normalise the unconscionable, or will we reclaim our capacity for empathy, our responsibility to care for one another, our fundamental human duty to help those in need? We need to recognise that showing compassion is not weakness. It is the ultimate expression of strength.
To paraphrase/summarise one of the speakers at Rochelle’s memorial (Jamie Parker from memory), it takes courage to stand against the tide of hatred, to defend those who are different from us, to fight for justice when injustice seems to be winning. We must call out bullying when we see it, whether in our schools, our workplaces, or our highest offices.
This is not about politics or even about left and right – it is about our shared humanity. It is about who we are and who we choose to be. The measure of any society lies in how it treats its most vulnerable members. By that metric, we are failing.
here to edit.