{"id":3424,"date":"2026-06-09T16:05:21","date_gmt":"2026-06-09T16:05:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/orlandorelocationreport.com\/?p=3424"},"modified":"2026-06-09T16:05:21","modified_gmt":"2026-06-09T16:05:21","slug":"commentary-mister-rogers-empathy-should-still-fit-nations-values","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/orlandorelocationreport.com\/?p=3424","title":{"rendered":"Commentary: Mister Rogers\u2019 empathy should still fit nation\u2019s values"},"content":{"rendered":"
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July 4, 2026, marks the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Celebrations and fireworks are planned across the country. As part of this recognition, the U.S. Postal Service held a \u201cstamp encore\u201d contest. I was delighted to learn that the 2018 Mister Rogers stamp won the contest by a landslide and is being reissued on June 1. More than half a million Americans cast their vote in support of the stamp featuring Fred Rogers with the King Friday XIII puppet, a character from his Neighborhood of Make-Believe. This enthusiasm is for more than a postage stamp; it suggests an overwhelming desire in our nation to reclaim values such as kindness, empathy and neighborliness. As we look forward to our country\u2019s next chapter, this affirmation gives me great hope as the president of Fred Rogers\u2019 alma mater, Rollins College.<\/p>\n

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Rogers once said, \u201cAll we\u2019re ever asked to do in this life is to treat our neighbor \u2014 especially our neighbor who is in need \u2014 exactly as we would hope to be treated ourselves. That\u2019s our ultimate responsibility.\u201d On our campus, Fred\u2019s values are prominently displayed. \u201cLife Is For Service\u201d is etched into a marble plaque on our campus, a phrase Fred Rogers kept in his wallet his entire life. A bronze sculpture of Fred surrounded by children with his favorite puppet Daniel Striped Tiger, with \u201cWould you be mine?\u201d inscribed on the base sits among a garden of roses. These legacy messages from a beloved children\u2019s television host fill a timeless, universal human need.<\/p>\n

Although Rogers\u2019 presence on our campus is visible in stone and bronze, his influence goes deeper than monuments. His ethos of service permeates our campus community and shapes our students. As a new college president, I take seriously our mission to cultivate human beings who apply their knowledge in various subjects and hone their critical thinking, to create communities based in ethical reasoning and civic responsibility.<\/p>\n

Every day, I witness students doing meaningful work in our Central Florida community. They research practical ways to address food insecurity and volunteer at food banks, senior living residences, public schools and other local nonprofits. As I talk with students, I realize how deeply aware they are of the challenges facing our nation. Too often, people see this generation as disconnected. I spend a lot of time with students, and I can assure you that the future is bright. This generation is not the problem \u2014 and they may very well be the answer. Like Rogers, they plan to share their talents in service of others across their many disciplines and fields.<\/p>\n

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Small acts of care, respect and compassion between neighbors help to build a healthy democracy. Rogers taught that to both children and adults. Higher education has a duty to carry this forward and encourage those habits in students, so they graduate ready to contribute professionally and civically.<\/p>\n

Perhaps that is why more than 500,000 people voted to bring back the Mister Rogers stamp. I hope many who see it are motivated in their own way to share empathy, kindness and human connection. A stamp alone will not help us reclaim neighborliness at a pivotal time in our nation, but it can be one spark among many during this summer\u2019s celebrations. The future of our nation depends on our ability to rebuild trust in institutions and each other, so we can work together to solve the problems facing us today.<\/p>\n

The Semiquincentennial is the perfect time to celebrate our history and recommit ourselves to service. Mister Rogers understood that citizenship starts with being a good neighbor \u2014 and that the way to get there is simple, if not easy: treat our neighbor exactly as we would hope to be treated ourselves. Each of us has a responsibility to make kindness a national value. How we treat each other demonstrates what it means to be Americans, and in turn what we can do together in service of our nation.<\/p>\n

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Brooke Barnett is the president of Rollins College.<\/em><\/p>\n

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Mister Rogers understood that citizenship starts with being a good neighbor. 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