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There is an active thread that got me thinking...who is worthy of protection?? If we witness an injustice, should we all turn our backs and act like we were not witnesses? And if we decide to pick and choose who we are willing to stand up for, where does it end? Does it end at our front door? at the end of our street? At the end of our borders? What makes one person more worthy of protection than others?
I think we should protect anyone that needs protecting and that it is in our power to do so. If I see a little kid playing the street and there is a car coming I'll get him out of the way. If I see a guy abusing a woman I'd call the authorities. There is so much bad in this world, we hear all the negative stuff all the time, that I'd like to be able to do my little part to help add some positivity to someone's life. I also think that if you do good to someone else, it will eventually come back to you. If I'm never willing to help others why should I expect help in return?
I think we should protect anyone that needs protecting and that it is in our power to do so. If I see a little kid playing the street and there is a car coming I'll get him out of the way. If I see a guy abusing a woman I'd call the authorities. There is so much bad in this world, we hear all the negative stuff all the time, that I'd like to be able to do my little part to help add some positivity to someone's life. I also think that if you do good to someone else, it will eventually come back to you. If I'm never willing to help others why should I expect help in return?
This is very thought provoking, and I think it boils down to protecting those for whom it is in our power to render assistance. This can be a little thing that we do on a daily basis, assisting someone through a door with a baby stroller, or it can be something that can affect someone's life. Do whatever is in one's power to do, even if it challenges the comfort level sometimes, for the next person who needs aid might very well be oneself.
How many times do we pass motorists by the side of the road out of fear of stopping? Well, don't put yourself in harm, but call the state police or local police so that they can render assistance. Even if they have already been called, it's never an issue. All the dispatcher will say is "Thank you. We've got them," or something to that effect. And, there are times that I do stop, especially if someone is in need. Oh, and in case anyone thinks I'm from a small town, nope, New York City and its suburbs (that was a smaller town, but hardly in the middle of nowhere). I even stopped to help someone once, only to find out that they knew my sister-in-law, which was completely random but I later found out that this lady was absolutely petrified being stuck waiting for a tow truck with her husband out of town.
How many times do we get caught up in our own lives and things that must be done to the neglect of others who might need a kind word or a helping hand? Sometimes, if the weather is bad, I will telephone a couple of my elderly neighbors just to see if they need anything from the store, since they might not want to go out in inclement weather. Most times, they don't, but they appreciate the gesture, and sometimes when there are cold temperatures and snow and ice, I go to the pharmacy and grocery store for them. That's how I was raised, since we always were taught that helping others brings its own rewards. And, the satisfaction from a small job well done can touch people in ways that we cannot begin to comprehend.
I have witnessed this in my own family, having had a nephew who got lost when he thought he was following his group and wasn't. He was out of town, scared, and his parents were going crazy for the few minutes he was gone. He couldn't find a security guard and was afraid to leave the area, since he knew they wouldn't leave him behind. What did he do? He ran up to a lady with a stroller and two kids. And, what did she do? She calmed him down, held his hand, and called the park's main office and they made an announcement just about the time that his parents found him. I shudder to think what could have happened had she not been there in that moment, doing a simple thing that mothers do, opening her heart to another child and rendering assistance. Things happen, you glance away for a second and the child is gone, and now he's very aware of where everyone is and doesn't just wander, but in years past, there were more people willing to help.
These are just small examples, but if we were to consciously act as though those we are coming to the aid of were our own family and friends, that would certainly end a lot of suffering and might help people a bit more. And, I am not saying that everyone has to go out and be a superhero, but use common sense. Call the authorities for assistance if you see an accident, someone broken down by the side of the road, a homeless person out alone on a below freezing night. One should do what one can, but one should not needlessly put oneself in jeopardy, but ignoring the reality of the situation at hand when one can render assistance is just wrong, since you never know if the situation is a major or minor issue.
Last edited by bmwguydc; 12-15-2008 at 10:07 PM..
Reason: typo
Strange question. Not sure how to answer it or if it is important.
I believe protecting others is important and I know you do as well. I was wondering if you would protect only someone you knew, someone that had similar interests, beliefs, etc or would you be willing to protect anyone who was being victimized?
There is an active thread that got me thinking...who is worthy of protection?? If we witness an injustice, should we all turn our backs and act like we were not witnesses? And if we decide to pick and choose who we are willing to stand up for, where does it end? Does it end at our front door? at the end of our street? At the end of our borders? What makes one person more worthy of protection than others?
It all depends on the situation. Protect how and against what? Protect against verbal abuse? With my life? Forget that.
There is an active thread that got me thinking...who is worthy of protection?? If we witness an injustice, should we all turn our backs and act like we were not witnesses? And if we decide to pick and choose who we are willing to stand up for, where does it end? Does it end at our front door? at the end of our street? At the end of our borders? What makes one person more worthy of protection than others?
I went and did 3 pages of that and I was done. It is not that cut and dry. Ever. Everyone is worthy of protection. Step in, even if it doesn't play your way. Do something, anything. Take a risk. Every time. It's not necessary for an immediate reaction. That reaction may come 6 months down the road and you won't be around to be thanked. You will more than likely be recognized but you won't have immediate gratification. I can't prove that, that is personal.
We want to say, as a society, I will help you if..... and we can do that when we deal with someone in our immediate circle. We can say this is my money or time and I can do this for you providing that you do whatever. THIS is a legitimate thang we should do.
What we need to realize is that people operate with whatever knowledge and experience that they have and no more and no less. They are who they are at that moment in time. Too, we have a tendency to believe that there are all of these programs that are out there and that people "could" do it if they really wanted to. Sometimes, that falls short. It falls short a lot.
I have found in the last three years that I have gone on the attack. It may seem like I talk a lot here, but I don't speak much at all. I have begun to speak out and call people out for things that I might have let slide before. In crazy places, last week at the library and then went to Walgreens and did it again. Simple crap and dealing with people that spoke loudly and wanted their animosity known. In the library, it was a librarian targeting a woman and in Walgreen's it was an employee that stated "fervently" what he thought of the church rush. It was explained to him that I was an athiest at the library and all I wanted was a bottle of water. I was on my way to pick my child up. He growled at the cash register. Growled. Steven King growled.
There is a phrase that I have struggled with, to bear witness.(What does that really mean? To you or to me?) I think, perhaps, that this is huge in terms of humanity. I think that for each injustice it is our duty to bear witness. It is irrelevent if we have the "right" outcome. It is inherently important that we step forward every time.
I'm rambling.
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