This post on #Respect by John Fioravanti moved me so much that I had to share it. As I told John: I hope people around the world see this time as a fleeting, albeit bleak phase in U.S. history that does not reflect the will of the American people. Respect is crucial to tolerance, understanding, and good will. So is an open heart. Being able to loathe someone’s behavior while keeping our heart open to them is, in my opinion, a hallmark of respect. 

I hope you’ll visit John’s blog and read this outstanding article ❤ 

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“We need to reject any politics that targets people because of race or religion. This isn’t a matter of political correctness. It’s a matter of understanding what makes us strong. The world respects us not just for our arsenal; it respects us for our diversity and our openness and the way we respect every faith.” ~ Barack Obama

In my last post in this series, “Let Us Change the World!”, I reflected upon the role of education in bringing about positive change in the world through a quote by Nelson Mandela. His words were spoken in the context of a speech he made to students in Boston in 1990 to encourage them to remain in school and help transform the world into a better place. 

As a retired secondary school educator, I am a firm believer in lifelong learning, and it need not take place in a formal classroom. In Mandela’s day, the Internet was in its infancy, and now it allows anyone who is curious to discover information and analysis about any topic they can imagine. It is in the context of the lifelong learner that I wish to reflect on President Barack Obama’s words quoted above from his final State of the Union Address on January 12, 2016.

As a student of history, I realize that human progress does not occur in a linear pattern and that often we regress on the way to positive growth. In some very tangible ways, we are experiencing a regression in our behavior towards others today. News headlines from around the globe give testament that division and polarization around extreme ideas and attitudes are fuelling discord and conflict between us. 

At the root of this discord is a startling lack of respect for others. What do I mean when I speak about respect? 

Continue reading . . . 

Source: What the World Needs Now… Respect – Words To Captivate ~ by John Fioravanti