The Center for Building a Culture of Empathy

    Home       Facebook       Youtube     Newsletter     What's New?      Discussion List      Conference     Contact

 

 


Obama Video Clips > 2004-11-23 - Obama Book Signing - NY NY
Text Source - Local Copy - Empathy Section
\

 How do we expand a sense of empathy and allow each and every one of us to... 
 

Now, I'm not somebody that draws a direct line between poverty and fanaticism or nihilism. I'm not interested actually in making to many excuses for somebody who would see people with such... as such abstractions, with such contempt, that they would be willing to kill 3 thousand people and think they're making a political statement. 

There are no excuses for that, and that's where my empathy stops. I can't get into that mindset.  But what I can understand is that if a child in Pakistan has no prospects, no future, has watched their parents grind out terrible subsistence existence

and then the only avenues that they have for not only advancement but some sense of meaning in their lives is a Madras's in which they are drilled with a very narrow fundamentalist brand of Islam. Then translates itself eventually into violent political acts, not always but sometimes. That there is a connection there.

Our foreign  policy and our perspective in how to deal with terrorism has to reflect not only the interest in not only stopping the immediate threat of terrorism but  also in creating a  foreign policy that promotes justice, economic development,  the rights of women, and those are all central aspects to dealing with terrorism.


 

Obama Book Signing
NY NY
 
@ c-span (new)
  @ c-span (new)

 

HOW DO WE DO THAT AND WHAT KIND OF LANGUAGE DO WE COME UP WITH? HOW DO WE EXPAND A SENSE OF EMPATHY  AND ALLOW EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US TO BE...

00:37:23  ARE NO EXCUSES FOR THAT, AND THAT'S WHERE MY EMPATHY STOPS. I CAN'T GET INTO THAT MINDSET. BUT...

 

 

00:00:38 WELL, GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US. ON THE MORNING OF NOVEMBER 3, MILLIONS OF...
00:01:10 ALMOST IN EQUAL NUMBERS WOKE UP TO A GREAT DISAPPOINTMENT. FOR THOSE AMERICANS, THERE WAS AT LEAST...
00:01:19 YES! [APPLAUSE]
00:01:26 THE MAN WHO HAD BEEN THE DYNAMIC VOICE OF THE DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION. AS KEYNOTE SPEAKER, THE MAN WHO...
00:01:59 AND THAT MAN IS OUR GUEST TONIGHT, BARACK OBAMA. [APPLAUSE]
00:02:05 IN HIS CONVENTION SPEECH, OUR GUEST SPOKE OF HIS OWN FATHER, A FOREIGN STUDENT BORN AND RAISED IN...
00:02:38 2012 AND BEYOND. [APPLAUSE]
00:02:40 AND IT WOULD CERTAINLY GIVE ME A GREAT DEAL OF PLEASURE TO SAY THAT I WAS INTRODUCING THE NEXT PRESIDENT...
00:03:03 AND IT WOULD GIVE YOU A LOT OF PLEASURE AS WELL, I'M SURE. BUT WHAT MILLIONS WHO WOKE UP IN DISAPPOINTMENT...
00:03:51 THANK YOU, THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE]
00:04:00 THANK YOU. THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU SO MUCH. WELL, YOU KNOW, I...
00:04:18 JUST LOOKING AT THE CROWD OUT HERE TONIGHT. WHAT A MAGNIFICENT TURNOUT. I'M SO GRATEFUL TO ALL OF...
00:04:55 BUT THIS BOOKSTORE, WHICH HAD JUST OPENED, IN FACT, WAS ONE OF THE STOPS THAT WE MADE, AND IT'S WONDERFUL...
00:16:54 SO THE BOOK ENDS WITH ME TRAVELING BACK TO AFRICA. AND RETRACING THEN THE STEPS THAT MY FATHER TOOK...
00:19:10 SOMEBODY VERY CHARITABLEY TOLD ME -- I HADN'T SEEN THEM IN SIX MONTHS, AND THEY SAID, YOU'VE REALLY...
00:20:05 AND SO WITH MY WIFE, WHO IS A DESCENDANT OF SLAVES FROM SOUTH CAROLINA, WHO GREW UP ON THE SOUTH SIDE...
00:21:29 SO I THINK WHAT WE'VE ARRANGED IS TO TAKE A FEW QUESTIONS, AND THEN I'M GOING TO GET BUSY. I'VE GOT...
00:22:02 THANK YOU, SENATOR. I AM THE SPIRITUAL LEADER OF A MULTIFAITH COMMUNITY THAT HAS FELT VERY BESIEGED...
00:22:26 WELL, I THINK THAT THAT'S A TERRIFIC QUESTION. THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF TALK AFTER THE ELECTION ABOUT...
00:28:44 I HAVE A COMMENT FOLLOWED BY A QUESTION. MY COMMENT IS I HOPE ONE DAY YOU DO RUN FOR PRESIDENT OF...
00:28:57 I KNOW THAT WASN'T A QUESTION, BUT LET ME REMIND PEOPLE I RANK 99TH IN SENIORITY. I'M GOING TO BE...
00:29:22 MY QUESTION IS JUST LOOKING AT A BOOK OF CURRENT EVENTS OR EVEN BEFORE THE ELECTION YOU SAW, YOU KNOW,...
00:30:04 WELL, I THINK YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT THAT OUR POLITICAL -- THAT THE LANGUAGE WE USE POLITICALLY IS...
00:30:32 AND I CONFRONTED THAT IN MY OWN CAMPAIGN. IN THE GENERAL ELECTION, I WAS RUNNING AGAINST A GENTLEMAN...
00:30:50 MY RESPONSE WAS I WANTED TO KNOW WHO HIS POLLSTER WAS, BECAUSE IF HE HAD A DIRECT LINE ON JESUS CHRIST,...
00:31:06 BUT, YOU KNOW, THERE IS THIS SLASH AND BURN, TAKE NO PRISONERS, ANYTHING GOES POLITICS THAT I JUST...
00:34:23 AS YOU DEMONSTRATED IN YOUR KEYNOTE ADDRESS THIS SUMMER, YOU ARE NOT AFRAID TO DIFFRASHTE BETWEEN...
00:35:09 WELL, THE -- A COUPLE OF THINGS. I THINK THERE'S OBVIOUSLY A BIG QUESTION, AND I MAY NOT BE ABLE ...
00:40:03 WE ONLY HAVE TIME FOR TWO MORE QUESTIONS, SENATOR.
00:40:06 I HAVE A COMMENT AND A QUESTION. I READ YOUR BOOK AND LOVED IT. THOUGHT IT WAS VERY WELL
00:40:11 THANK YOU.
00:40:13 YES, IT IS. AND THE PART THAT REALLY FASCINATED ME, THOUGH, WAS THE PART WHERE YOU GO TO AFRICA TO...
00:40:33 WELL, THE -- YOU KNOW, THIS HAS BEEN SORT OF -- NOTHING THAT I COULD HAVE IMAGINED. WE'RE BIG IN KENYA...
00:44:26 I FIRST WANT TO CONGRATULATE YOU ON YOUR VICTORY. I THINK WHAT WE NEED FOR YOU TO DO IS TO DO YOUR...
00:44:40 THANK YOU.
00:44:42 BUT WITH THAT SAID, OBVIOUSLY YOU CAN TELL THERE MUST BE AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF PRESSURE BEING THE...
00:44:53 YOU KNOW, I'LL BE HONEST, MAYBE I'M NOT TOO BRIGHT BECAUSE I DON'T FEEL THAT MUCH PRESSURE. I MEAN,...
00:48:46 IF WE HAVE ANOTHER FELT TIP PEN, YOU KNOW, THAT'S NOT GOING TO LEACH THROUGH. I ALWAYS FEEL BAD IF...
00:48:55 WE'RE GOING TO START WITH THIS LADY.
00:49:02 THANK YOU. THANKS FOR BEING HERE.
00:49:09 MAN, LOOK AT YOU. THIS GUY SINGLE HANDEDLY IS GOING TO SEND MY KIDS THROUGH COLLEGE.
00:49:22 BY THE WAY, -- [INAUDIBLE]
00:49:38 WHAT'S YOUR NAME?
00:49:39 BURTON.
00:49:40 GOOD TO SEE YOU, MAN. WHERE DO YOU LIVE?
00:49:43 GREAT TO SEE YOU. THANK YOU. GOOD LUCK TO YOU.
00:49:45 THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE IT. WHERE DO YOU LIVE?
00:49:54 GIBSON, NEW YORK, TWO HOURS FROM NOW.
00:49:57 [INAUDIBLE]
00:50:01 [INAUDIBLE]
00:50:04 FANTASTIC. HOW IS RAIL SERVICE DOING?
00:50:07 ALL RIGHT. ALL RIGHT.
00:50:10 THEY TREATING YOU GUYS OK?
00:50:16 OH, YEAH.
00:50:19 I'LL PERSONALIZE THIS. THIS IS FOR YOU?
00:50:33 THAT'S FOR ME.
00:50:36 THERE YOU GO, BURT. THANK YOU. WOULD YOU PREFER BLUE?
00:50:40 IF YOU DON'T MIND.
00:50:41 I DON'T.
00:50:45 THANK YOU.
00:50:46 THERE YOU GO.
00:50:48 THIS GENTLEMAN IS DOING HIS CHRISTMAS SHOPPING.
00:50:51 I HAVE FRIENDS THAT CAN'T BE HERE.
00:50:54 SO AFTER ALL THIS, TELL ME WHICH ONE IS FOR YOU AND I'LL PERSONALIZE THAT ONE.
00:51:00 JUST DAVE, THAT WILL BE FINE.
00:51:03 OK. WHAT DO YOU DO?
00:51:06 I'M A RETIRED TEACHER.
00:51:08 OH, WONDERFUL.
00:51:09 WORKED FOR NEW YORK CITY FOR 35 YEARS.
00:51:11 WHAT DID YOU TEACH?
00:51:13 SOCIAL STUDIES, COMPUTER, MATH.
00:51:15 ONE OF THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN TOWN?
00:51:18 YEAH.
00:51:20 DO YOU MISS IT?
00:51:22 YES, I MISS THE KIDS.
00:51:24 YEAH, MY SISTER TAUGHT IN NEW YORK ON THE LOWER EAST SIDE.
00:51:30 I WAS IN THE SOUTH BRONX.
00:51:32 IS THAT RIGHT?
00:51:33 YOU CAN DATE THAT ONE AND THE OTHER TWO.
00:51:36 WHAT IS THE DATE TODAY?
00:51:40 THE 23RD.
00:51:47 THERE YOU GO.
00:51:50 I WAS DISAPPOINTED WHEN YOU SAID YOU WEREN'T GOING TO ANSWER YOUR MAIL, BECAUSE I WANTED SOMETHING...
00:51:58 YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST GOING TO BE IMPOSSIBLE.
00:52:07 OH, OK. THANK YOU.
00:52:08 THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
00:52:09 THANK YOU, SIR. A PLEASURE.
00:52:11 CHRIS.
00:52:13 NICE TO SEE YOU, CHRIS. GOING TO SCHOOL OR WORKING?
00:52:19 GOING TO SCHOOL. THANK YOU.
00:52:22 GREAT TO SEE YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
00:52:24 HE WAS NEXT IN LINE.
00:52:26 HOW ARE YOU?
00:52:27 GOOD. THE TRUTH IS OFTEN THE BEST DIRECTOR. I WOULD LIKE, IF YOU COULD, TO READ THIS PAGE, IF YOU...
00:52:37 ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU.
00:52:45 HOW ARE YOU?
00:52:46 I'M ANDREW.
00:52:49 NICE TO MEET YOU, ANDREW.
00:52:51 THANKS FOR COMING HERE.
00:52:52 WHAT GRADE ARE YOU IN, ANDREW?
00:52:54 10TH.
00:52:56 FANTASTIC. I DON'T DO THIS FOR EVERYBODY, ANDREW, BUT I'M GOING TO WRITE YOU A LITTLE MESSAGE.
00:53:02 THANK YOU.
00:53:03 SINCE YOU'RE JUST GETTING STARTED.
00:53:09 HOPEFULLY I'LL BE ABLE TO BE ONE OF YOUR CONSTITUENTS.
00:53:11 THANK YOU. HOW ARE YOU? I WOULD LIKE TO MEET YOU.
00:53:23 I WOULD LIKE TO MEET YOU.
00:53:26 NICE TO MEET YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH, WITH KENNY JOHNSON.
00:53:32 I'M SO NERVOUS.
00:53:33 HOW ARE YOU?
00:53:34 FINE, THANK YOU. WHAT IS YOUR NAME?
00:53:36 BEVERLY.
00:53:37 NICE TO SEE YOU, BEVERLY.
00:53:38 GREAT TO SEE YOU.
00:53:40 THANK YOU NOR COMING TODAY.
00:53:41 BEST OF LUCK.
00:53:42 I APPRECIATE YOU.
00:53:46 SHE NEEDS ONE MORE.
00:53:48 WE WERE SO DEPRESSED WITH THE ELECTION, BUT YOU'RE GIVING US HOPE.
00:53:52 WE HAVE TO PICK OURSELVES UP,
00:53:56 HOW ARE YOU?
00:54:00 HELLO, SENATOR. YOU MAKE ME FEEL THE MOST
00:54:03 THANK YOU.
00:54:05 NATALIE.
00:54:06 NICE TO SEE YOU. DO YOU HAVE ONE OF THESE BOOKS FOR YOU?
00:54:10 OH, I DO.
00:54:11 I'M GOING TO SIGN THE LAST ONE JUST FOR YOU.
00:54:13 THAT'S WONDERFUL. I WAS GOING TO WARN YOU ABOUT KEEPING YOUR INTEGRITY, BUT I KNOW I DON'T HAVE TO...
00:54:22 I APPRECIATE YOU. WHEN DID YOU COME TO THE STATES, NATALIE? YOU WEREN'T BORN HERE.
00:54:32 NORTH LONDON.
00:54:35 THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT.
00:54:39 IS NATALIE A TRADITIONAL SPELLING?
00:54:41 YES, AND YOU HAVE A NATASHA, HUH?
00:54:43 I DO.
00:54:45 I GET CALLED NATASHA SOMETIMES. YOU SAID EVERYTHING I NEEDED TO HEAR. I'M THRILLED.
00:54:54 THANK YOU SO MUCH. I APPRECIATE IT. I'M FATIMA.
00:55:03 I LOVE THAT NAME. THANK YOU SO MUCH. HI, HOW ARE YOU?
00:55:08 I'M CLARA. WHAT DO I HAVE TO DO TO WORK FOR YOU?
00:55:14 GET -- IF YOU GET ON OUR WEBSITE, YOU CAN SEND AN EMAIL TO OUR WEBSITE AND RIGHT NOW, WE'VE GOT ABOUT...
00:55:27 DO I HAVE ANY HILL EXPERIENCE? WHAT WOULD THAT BE?
00:55:31 HAVE YOU WORKED IN WASHINGTON BEFORE?
00:55:36 NO, I'M FROM THE SOUTH BRONX.
00:55:38 IT'S NOT A REQUIREMENT. I WAS JUST CURIOUS.
00:55:40 I'M SORRY. THANK YOU.
00:55:41 GOOD. HI, HOW ARE YOU? NICE TO MEET YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. APPRECIATE IT. THANKS FOR BEING HERE....
00:55:54 THAT WAS HERS AND THIS IS HERS AS WELL.
00:56:03 THANK YOU SO MUCH.