I think Republicans don't know what the word EMPATHETIC means,

[Labors of Hercules]

so they immediately assumed Michelle used a word they DO know...

Republicans know what PATHETIC means. (After all, it is the one word that defines them best).

It's the judgment they like to throw on everybody else when they can't think of anything intelligent to respond with, which is most of the time.

I seriously doubt they even know the meaning of the word EMPATHETIC. It is not a word I would associate with any Republican I know.

(Just my take on idiotass Craig Crawford talking shit about Michelle's AWESOME :thumbsup: showing on The View).
http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2008/06/viewing-michelle.html

[hobbit709]

1. They think it's apathetic

As in they are apathetic to the suffering they cause.

[patrice]

2. I think you are talking about a group of people who consider pity a noble attribute.

Pity requires class distinctions. It is "proof" of the "ethics" and "values" of a higher class that "feels" sorry for a lower class.

Empathy requires an abscence of class distinctions. It is IDENTIFICATION with those with whom one e SHARES an understanding or emotion.

[1Hippiechick]

3. Good response!

[patrice]

5. Thanks! I used to teach AP Psych to high school seniors who

did all they could to challenge whatever I said or did, ergo, I REALLY had to know my stuff.

[blondeatlast]

4. Very good; I think you are spot-on. I've used the word empathy many times in coversation

and was shocked to realize how few people were familiar with the word.

Admittedly, my social circle is solidly middle class. I think you are absolutely right. The concept is completely foreign to Republicans.

[patrice]

6. I should look sympathy up in the Oxford English Dictionary sometime to compare

the differences between sympathy and empathy.

My general impression is that sympathy is more related to pity than to empathy. That may just be a usage issue, because that prefix, sym-, I believe, indicates something such as "in unison". I'm not sure. But it would be interesting to see the derivation of the two different prefixes, sym- and em- , on the same root -pathy.

[knixphan]

7. YES!!!!!

[Labors of Hercules]

8. That is exactly the group of people I am talking about.

especially those who assume that most people have the same advantages they do and judge them accordingly.