No-Good Samaritan

Sometimes our priorities are out of whack. Like, oh, say, when we want to save a life, or assist someone in pain, or help a person through an emotional time, or protect someone from abuse. This phenomena extends to all creatures, too.

Saving a life comes with risk, though. We might get sued. We might get arrested. We might get shunned. We might get yelled at.

Oh, come now, surely you can imagine many scenarios where the preceding statements are true. And not just true in regards to saving a life, but also true assisting someone in pain, or helping a person through an emotional time, or protecting someone from abuse or harm.

It boils down to a matter of perspective - and money.

A woman, rescued by a good-samaritan from a burning building, gets a broken hip in the process.  She sues the Samaritan!

A man ends the life of his-long suffering animal-friend. Gets the animal-rights activists fired up and now faces legal action.

A doctor gets asked by his patient to euthanize. He loses his license and must face jail time.

The perspectives of the people involved in these scenarios: surely they ALL believe THEY are right. Their belief-systems are sound, time-honored, maybe even "holy."

When faced with a moral dilemma, we often have to think quickly and decisively as to what the right thing to do is. In cool-calm-collected fashion, we all follow the right channels, right?  Report the crime, report the abuse, report the emergency - and stand idly by and wait for "the authorities" to handle it, right?

Why?

Please consider - what's different about the following statements, and how do you emotionally respond to them?


Can we (should we) stand idly by and watch a person yell at another person?
Can we (should we) stand idly by and watch a person hit another person?
Can we (should we) stand idly by and watch a person yell at another person because he/she is black?
Can we (should we) stand idly by and watch a person hit another person because he/she is black?
Can we (should we) stand idly by and watch a parent yell at their child?
Can we (should we) stand idly by and watch a parent hit their child?
Can we (should we) stand idly by and watch a parent yell at their child because he/she is gay?
Can we (should we) stand idly by and watch a parent hit their child because he/she is gay?
Can we (should we) stand idly by and watch a pet owner fail to give their pet attention?
Can we (should we) stand idly by and watch a pet owner fail to give their pet food/water?
Can we (should we) stand idly by and watch a pet owner fail to give their child food/water?
Can we (should we) stand idly by and watch a pet owner fail to give their child love?
Can we (should we) stand idly by and watch a pet owner hit their pet?
Can we (should we) stand idly by and watch a pet owner hit their spouse?
Can we (should we) stand idly by and watch a parent yell at their spouse?
Can we (should we) stand idly by and watch a parent yell at their spouse because he/she is gay?


At what point is it okay to intercede, and what motivates us to do so, or not do so?  And what is the appropriate course of action?

Easy enough to sit at our computers and think, "I know what I'd do," but when you are facing real-life situations, with real-life consequences, real-life danger, real-life pain and emotion - DO YOU STILL KNOW WHAT TO DO?

And if you decided to "call the authorities" and place your trust in "the system," while real people or real animals suffer, ask yourself - could you have made more of a difference? Could you have saved someone pain, death, dismemberment or emotional trauma by taking more direct action?

And if so, what stopped you? Risk of getting sued? Risk of getting scorned?  Risk of losing your livelihood?

Doing the right thing is a matter of perspective. It's based on belief systems taught by society, by family, by media, by religious organizations, by radicals.  Consider the influences on YOUR perspectives carefully, and then challenge your reactions to the "can we (should we)" statements above.