 
Senate Resolution No. 1376
 
BY: Senator DEFRANCISCO
 
        RECOGNIZING April 1-7, 2017, as Golden Rule Week
 
  WHEREAS,  It  is  the  custom  of this Legislative Body to recognize
official weeks that are set aside to promote and encourage  empathy  and
compassion  which  benefit the lives of the citizens of the State of New
York; and
 
  WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and  in  full  accord  with  its
long-standing  traditions,  this  Legislative  Body  is  justly proud to
recognize April 1-7, 2017, as Golden Rule Week; and
 
  WHEREAS, The Golden Rule, also known as the ethic of reciprocity, is
the idea that people should treat others in the same way they themselves
would like to be treated, with tolerance, consideration and  compassion;
and
 
  WHEREAS, Derived from human feelings and experience, the Golden Rule
requires  people to think about others and try to imagine how they might
think and feel; it is a simple and  clear  default  position  for  moral
decision-making; and
 
  WHEREAS,  People  who bully others, lack the empathy, generosity and
kindness of those who follow the Golden Rule; bullying  and  intolerance
is comprised of direct behaviors such as teasing, taunting, threatening,
hitting, and stealing that are initiated by one or more students against
a  target,  as  well  as indirect behaviors such as spreading rumors and
acting in other ways to cause another person  to  be  socially  isolated
through  intentional  exclusion,  with  all  such  behaviors,  direct or
indirect, amounting to physical or psychological intimidation  occurring
repeatedly  over  time  to  create  an ongoing pattern of harassment and
abuse; and
 
  WHEREAS,  Those  who  stand  by  passively  watching   or   actively
encouraging  bullying  are  also  affected  by  these  hostile  acts; by
encouraging  bullying  they  may  create   an   audience,   may   become
desensitized to cruelty, may learn to imitate these behaviors and become
bullies  themselves,  and/or may be fearful for their own safety, adding
to their own insecurity; and
 
  WHEREAS,  Race,  age,  religion,   physical   disability,   physical
appearance,  socioeconomic  status  and various other factors can be the
basis of bullying and anyone can be a target; and
 
  WHEREAS, People who intimidate others  are  at  increased  risk  for
substance  abuse,  academic  problems, and violence later in adolescence
and adulthood; and
 
  WHEREAS, Individuals who choose to live by the Golden Rule empathize
with other people, including those who may be very different from  them;
empathy  is  at  the  root  of  kindness,  compassion, understanding and
respect, all valuable qualities that we  each  appreciate  being  shown,
whoever we are, whatever we think and wherever we come from; and
 
  WHEREAS,  It  is  imperative  to  recognize  weeks in which empathy,
compassion, and kindness are observed, and to encourage all New  Yorkers
to  practice  this  simple  philosophy  and  incorporate  it  into  your
lifestyle; now, therefore, be it
 
  RESOLVED,  That  this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
recognize April 1-7, 2017, as Golden Rule Week.
Recognizing April 1-7, 2017, as Golden Rule Week

What's Happening

Why It Matters
