You've probably seen this video...

...of protesters taunting a victim of Parkinson's disease. It's gone "viral," as they say nowadays.

I once knew a therapist who told me that hurt and fear are often expressed as anger. Ever since then, whenever I see someone angry, I ask myself, "Is this person really angry, or do they feel hurt or fearful about something? Can I assuage their feelings in any way?"

I believe these protesters are more fearful than angry. They are probably fearful that, under reform, they will lose the good health care they value so deeply. I happen to think they won't, but I could be wrong. But I'm quite confident that the opponents of reform have cynically exploited these people by fanning their fears and whipping them into a frenzy. This is shameful. Leaders are supposed to lead, not play to our worst fears and passions. Ultimately they will have themselves to answer to. They are the ones who have to look in the mirror each morning.

There's another lesson to be learned here, I think. And that is that we all have a choice. We can choose to be mean and angry, like the protesters in this video, or to be generous and compassionate.

I do not for a minute claim to be any better than anyone else when it comes to this. On the contrary, I've probably acted worse than most.

But I've decided that we do have a choice. And the better choice is to be generous and compassionate.