I know this sounds like a radical suggestion, but it's really not. Compassion lies at the core of what makes us Democrats. It's what motivates our struggle against suffering and oppression. It's what demands equality for all. Compassion is the recognition that we are all connected. And it also requires loving our enemies and opponents.
I'm not talking about changing our tactics or softening our rhetoric. I'm not counseling against aggressive, hardball politics.
I'm suggesting that we keep compassion in our hearts. It's always there underneath all of the other emotions and thoughts that constantly bid for our attention.
Does being mindful of your compassion for Donald Trump sound inconceivable? Then imagine just how powerful it would be to sit for a moment and drop your attachment to all of your other thoughts and feelings, and opening your awareness, even for a second, to the compassion you have for his suffering. It will only make you stronger.
"When they go low, we go high," said the heart and soul of the Democratic Party.
Imagine meeting hate with love. When speaking out against racism, sexism, homophobia, and xenophobia, try being mindful of your compassion not only for the victims of hate, but also those doing the hating. Their immense suffering compels their hatred. Forgive them. Our goal is to stop hate. Our attachment to being angry at the haters doesn't help achieve that goal. We can be angry and we can fight aggressively, but don't have to be attached to those emotions.
Most importantly, we should be compassionate towards ourselves. For our failures large and small. For our inability to let go of attachments that lead to suffering. For feeling anger and hate towards our opponents. We can't learn to forgive our enemies until we learn to forgive ourselves.