Empathy critical to a just society

A year ago when President Obama suggested that empathy is an important qualification in Supreme Court nominees, conservatives pounced. In May 2009 Wendy Long, legal counsel to the Judicial Confirmation Network and a former clerk for Justice Clarence Thomas, remarked, "The best way to have empathy for people and the best way to have empathy for our Constitution is to appoint judges who will rule based on the law and to have empathy, if you will, for the law only."

Fast forward to today and to the controversy surrounding the so-called Ground Zero Mosque. In a remarkable display of waffling, the conservative critique of the president now is that he's not showing enough empathy to victims of 9/11. Some Democrats are jumping aboard, too; Gov. Quinn proposes a curious and fuzzy new zoning ordinance grounded in "solemnity."

What's fascinating is that Americans across the political spectrum apparently find the Constitution insufficient as a governing mechanism in certain circumstances when our respective interests (or agendas) are compromised.

I believe empathy is critical to a just society. I agree with Benjamin Franklin who opined that "only a virtuous people are capable of freedom." I also agree that, as a matter of law, empathy must be given to all regardless of race, gender, religion, creed or sexual orientation. This is why justice is blind.

Brian Doyle

St. Charles