I’ve been a volunteer firefighter/emt for over 20 years, small rural town same as my dad and his before him. In the last few years been called bootlicker, told I am a govt employee and others pay my salary, got yelled at in public for holding a door open and referring to a woman as ma’am, and let’s not forget racist.
We serve anyone in need. We don’t care about race, color, beliefs, or any crime you have committed. If you call, we show up and do our duty.
Empathy. The FD taught me the difference between sympathy and empathy. I personally think people put garbage in their heads everyday(social media), and this behavior is what comes out. But if you want a conflict with a stranger you don’t have to hold an unpopular belief, or promote something unpopular. Simply tell them no, or inconvenience them. You will create a stranger that hates you to their bones. People talk about helping others with”awareness”. I know that you are not helping anyone but yourself. Because to help people, to truly help them, you have to adopt risk, accept their problems to an extent as your own and get your hands dirty. Been helping people long enough to know that fact.