Y'know, sympathy for those in distress, no matter who they are, what they've done in the past, or might do in the future is a good emotion and a good reason for helping such a person out: no human being deserves distress, no matter WHAT the magnitude, and he or she must be aided in that moment; after all, it's big, nasty, fundamentally uncaring universe out there (at least Lovecraft says so, and I tend to believe him, although not for the same reasons !{)> ), and we humans should stick together, if only for that reason.
Todd
BTW: isn't it a point of general agreement on the Left that the masses/people in general ultimately need to learn for THEMSELVES how to handle their own affairs and exercise their own power over themselves, rather than depending on an AUTHORITY to just tell them what to do and expect them to hop to it? Who is supposed to hold the reins of power, anyway?