Hi Folks,
this one I found in my Inbox this morning. Thought it might be interesting and inspiring information for some.
Best regards,
Kitty
___________________________________________________________

Congratulations!
Bridging the Empathy Gap is in the second and final round of voting!
Even if you voted in the first round it is time to vote again.
*ACT NOW<http://www.change.org/ideas/view/bridging_the_empathy_gap_-_yes_we_can>
* to ensure we get to policy-making with this idea!
http://www.change.org/ideas/view/bridging_the_empathy_gap_-_yes_we_can
or go to http://www.change.org/ideas and search for "empathy"
Make sure it says "voted!" to know if your vote counted.

*We are now in a new and final round of voting beginning Monday, **January 5
at 8am** US-ET and ending Thursday, January 15 at 5pm US-ET*. Please act
quickly in this new round of voting for Bridging the Empathy
Gap<http://www.change.org/ideas/view/bridging_the_empathy_gap_-_yes_we_can>.
This Idea for Change in America focuses on assuring that the universal needs
of all affected by US government decision-making and policies will be
addressed. Empathy as a foundational principle will be implemented as part
of a Department of Peace and Nonviolence or as an inter-departmental office
within the government. Change.org with the Case Foundation will present the
top 10 rated Ideas for Change in America to the Obama administration on
Inauguration Day, and a national advocacy campaign for each idea will be
launched to support real policy change.
*
Even if you have voted before VOTE AGAIN between January 5*th*-15*th*!!*
To read the proposal, vote, and check our progress, click on or paste this
link:
http://www.change.org/ideas/view/bridging_the_empathy_gap_-_yes_we_can
(or go to http://www.change.org/ideas and search for "empathy")
Click on the "vote!" in the blue box with the current number of votes and
follow any next steps until it says "voted" and the color of the box is red.
This may require clicking several times. We also recommend you reload the
page to make sure the box is red and your vote is registered. *Make your
vote count! *
For current updates, help voting, how to take action, discussions and more,
go to:
http://groups.google.com/group/bridging-the-empathy-gap/web/updates

Response in the first round was overwhelming and we are thrilled! Even
though our proposal was on the site for only the last week of the eight
weeks of first round voting, *it finished first in the category of
Government Reform, and seventh overall among 7,783 ideas in 29 categories*.
This is huge! And an incredible testament to the strength of our networks
and the support for empathy, and we're not there yet. We have several
endorsements including The Peace
Alliance<http://www.thepeacealliance.org/content/view/643/1/>
, The Center for Nonviolent Communication <http://www.cnvc.org/en/node/5514>,
and Vicki Robin <http://www.yourmoneyoryourlife.info/>, author, YOUR MONEY
OR YOUR LIFE.

What can you do to support empathy in the US government?
Cast your vote once more for Bridging the Empathy Gap, forward this request
widely, and vote also for a Department of Peace and Nonviolence
at
http://www.change.org/ideas/view/appoint_secretary_of_peace_in_department_of_peace_and_non-violence.

These are ways we can contribute to social change and peace on our planet.
Together we CAN make a difference!

With sincere gratitude and celebration,
Catherine Cadden
Inbal Kashtan
Jori Manske
Kathleen Macferran
Miki Kashtan
Sylvia Haskvitz

Hey proxy,
what are you trying to tell me by posting semantic links in response to the topic?
I didn't post it here to discuss semantics here, you know?

It's just that I got it via email, read it, found it interesting, looked at the site :http://www.change.org where it is listed as an idea among many, many others.
People can vote for ideas they wish to support and those 10 with the most vote will be presented and discussed in the White House and might possibly be made guidelines of the new government because as far as I understood, the whole campaign is made by Obama and his team.
And since this is a site where lots of Americans read and write I thought I'd post it here.
Over the time that I've been here, which has been 8 years and then some months, I've often heard people say (or write, for that matter) that they want things to change and that they want to be contributors to a positive change - so this might be a way to do it, right?
regards,
Kitty

Cool thread! Thank you, Kitty, I hadn't heard of this before. There's another thing going on that seems to kind of fit with this ... for those whose compassionate or empathetic concerns include a priority on anti-poverty actions. I'll grab the info and link on that.

Oop, I'm sidetracked with lots of interesting reading. Merc retro. Back later with links...

I Kitty

Maria