What is Compassion?

I have been wrestling with the concept of what is compassion for some time. I heard an interesting observation on Glen Beck this afternoon as I was driving. I admit I don't listen to Mr. Beck with any regularity, or for a whole show but this afternoon he and his guest were discussing how if you take an eagle's egg you will be fined or perhaps imprisoned, but if you abort a human fetus there is no penalty. They went on to discuss how secularists are placing man at the bottom of the ladder and not as the dominate life on the planet. I am not sure if I understand and agree completely with the premise but the example they used offered a real and important learning point for me on compassion.

Can a person be considered compassionate if they hold the lives of plants and animals in higher value than that of human life? If the right to terminate human life is a protected right of the individual than can our society be considered compassionate when we send aid to victims of disaster?

Mankind has waged war on itself since it first walked erect, clearly we have never valued human life to any great extent, but as we like to think we have grown in wisdom and matured as humans wouldn't it be nice if we did?

It seems to me compassion has to start with protection of those unable to speak for themselves and then extend to those less fortunate. I see a clear distinction in my view and that of the current administration on this. I don't see recreating a national welfare class as a compassionate act. Experience has taught that when we grow a generation on welfare entitlements they believe they are owed everything, or they are victims. We cannot let this happen again.

If we are ever to reach true equality in America, each race must see themselves as positive forces capable of moving forward without hate, and showing the other races the respect we show equals. We must find core values we share as a people or we will drift apart. I would hope compassion for life is one of those values.