Within Just Mercy’s first chapters, the author Bryan Stevenson, founder of the Equal Justice Initiative and lawyer who works with condemned and incarcerated individuals, introduces Walter McMillan’s case. Walter was tried, convicted, and sentenced to death for the murder of Ronda Morrison, an eighteen year old white woman who worked as a part time clerk at a dry cleaning store in Monroeville, Alabama. There was no concrete evidence against Walter. Though there was evidence in favor of his freedom, he was held illegally on Death Row before getting tried and sentenced. He had a short trial, lasting for less than two days.
Witnesses, threatened and bribed, testified against Walter. Walter had multiple alibis for the night of the murder, saying …show more content…
She continues, stating that her father also took his aggression out on Kirschenbaum, often times yelling violently. She became deeply affected by her mother’s constant criticisms and neglect. In a time where Kirschenbaum could have resented her and Mildred’s relationship and left her to her sorrows and lonesome, Kirschenbaum chose to reconnect with Mildred. In an act of mercy, Kirschenbaum chose to render Mildred powerless over her mind to be free of Mildred’s long-held anger and resentment, and to include Mildred in her life.
Kirschenbaum showed empathy by attending therapy with her mother and learning how Mildred thinks and copes, trying to make sense of their similar childhoods. Kirschenbaum chose to make a film, Look at us now, Mother!, documenting her journey of understanding and forgiving her mother for the harsh things she has subjected Kirschenbaum to throughout her life, and their lasting effects. Kirschenbaum has now become an advocate for children coming from abusive homes and people ready to forgive, giving speeches and sharing her knowledge with people throughout the world. This is how Kirschenbaum coped with her …show more content…
Within Kirschenbaum’s first paragraph, she details her experience being “born into enemy territory. My mother thought she was having a boy, already named Gary” (Forgiveness Project). I went through the exact same situation when I was younger, though my name was supposed to be Jack. My mother reminded me of this every day in my childhood.
I learned that I am not who she wanted me to be and that that fact is unchangeable. After dealing with my own trauma, I became a makeshift advocate for victims of abuse and neglect. I learned to resist the temptation to regress and become violent; instead, I learned to express my emotions in a more positive way.
Gayle Kirschenbaum’s story shows empathy because she relates and shares feeling with her mother. Stevenson’s Just Mercy shows empathy by saying that practicing it and mercy leads to the breaking of the cycle of violence and injustice. These two relate to my story when I realized that showing empathy and becoming emotionally intelligent would change my life and mindset
Witnesses, threatened and bribed, testified against Walter. Walter had multiple alibis for the night of the murder, saying …show more content…
She continues, stating that her father also took his aggression out on Kirschenbaum, often times yelling violently. She became deeply affected by her mother’s constant criticisms and neglect. In a time where Kirschenbaum could have resented her and Mildred’s relationship and left her to her sorrows and lonesome, Kirschenbaum chose to reconnect with Mildred. In an act of mercy, Kirschenbaum chose to render Mildred powerless over her mind to be free of Mildred’s long-held anger and resentment, and to include Mildred in her life.
Kirschenbaum showed empathy by attending therapy with her mother and learning how Mildred thinks and copes, trying to make sense of their similar childhoods. Kirschenbaum chose to make a film, Look at us now, Mother!, documenting her journey of understanding and forgiving her mother for the harsh things she has subjected Kirschenbaum to throughout her life, and their lasting effects. Kirschenbaum has now become an advocate for children coming from abusive homes and people ready to forgive, giving speeches and sharing her knowledge with people throughout the world. This is how Kirschenbaum coped with her …show more content…
Within Kirschenbaum’s first paragraph, she details her experience being “born into enemy territory. My mother thought she was having a boy, already named Gary” (Forgiveness Project). I went through the exact same situation when I was younger, though my name was supposed to be Jack. My mother reminded me of this every day in my childhood.
I learned that I am not who she wanted me to be and that that fact is unchangeable. After dealing with my own trauma, I became a makeshift advocate for victims of abuse and neglect. I learned to resist the temptation to regress and become violent; instead, I learned to express my emotions in a more positive way.
Gayle Kirschenbaum’s story shows empathy because she relates and shares feeling with her mother. Stevenson’s Just Mercy shows empathy by saying that practicing it and mercy leads to the breaking of the cycle of violence and injustice. These two relate to my story when I realized that showing empathy and becoming emotionally intelligent would change my life and mindset