Wednesday, September 10, 2008

A Little Good News? Please?

As I watched the morning news I couldn't believe what I was seeing, a man sleeping attacked by a man wielding a hammer. The man not only had brought a hammer with him, but his 6 year old son. The attacker did not know his victim, there was no motive other than greed and hate. And his son sat and watched, as did 10 other people on the subway, who did absolutely nothing. NOTHING. No one pulled an alarm, until the attacker had beaten the man and fled. No one screamed. No one tried to pull the man off and hold him down. No one did so much as call the police from a cell phone. Nothing. As the victim was being attacked another passenger did see the victims cell phone fall to the floor, and picked it up-pocketing it for himself.
Sometimes I wonder, what is wrong with our world? How did our society become to numb to hate, and accepting of prejudice and injustice? I can't help but sing this song in my head by Anne Murray.....

I rolled out this morning Kids had the mornin' news show on
Bryant Gumbel was talkin' 'bout the fighting in Lebanon
Some senator was squawkin' 'bout the bad economy
It's gonna get worse you see, we need a change in policy
There's a local paper rolled up in a rubber band
One more sad story's one more than I can stand
Just once how I'd like to see the headline say "Not much to print today, can't find nothin' bad to say", b
ecause Nobody robbed a liquor store on the lower part of town
Nobody OD'ed, nobody burned a single buildin' down
Nobody fired a shot in anger, nobody had to die in vain
We sure could use a little good news today
I'll come home this evenin' I'll bet that the news will be the same
Somebody takes a hostage, somebody steals a plane
How I wanna hear the anchor man talk about a county fair
And how we cleaned up the air, how everybody learned to care Whoa,
tell me Nobody was assassinated in the whole Third World today
And in the streets of Ireland, all the children had to do was play
And everybody loves everybody in the good old USA
We sure could use a little good news today
Nobody robbed a liquor store on the lower part of town
Nobody OD'ed, nobody burned a single buildin' down
Nobody fired a shot in anger, nobody had to die in vain
We sure could use a little good news today
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zqUUQElQ8kM


Here is the News Story on the Attack:

Philly police video: Sleeping man attacked with hammer on subway
09/09/2008
PHILADELPHIA (AP) _ Police in Philadelphia have released surveillance camer video of a hammer-wielding man attacking another man dozing in a subway car.
The video shows the attacker boarding the subway just after midnight Thursday with a young child about 5 years old.Detective Kenneth Roach says it appears that the man kissed the child, then told him to sit down.After that, the man reached into a backpack he was carrying, pulled out a hammer and began attacking another man sitting nearby, dozing off while listening to a digital media player.The attack spilled onto the subway platform and lasted for several minutes.Roach says the victim escaped with relatively minor injuries from what appears to have been an unprovoked attack.No arrests have been made

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBMRi_HK0Ok

We must be involved in our community. We must know our neighbors. We must intervene and protect the innocent. You know that movie, "Pay it Forward"? I urge the two people that read my blog, to pay it forward today. We should be a kinder society. I know that no one reading this would go and beat someone with a hammer. If each of us teaches our children right from wrong and goes even beyond that to make a daily attempt to reach out to fellow citizens in our society, some that have become bitter and numb, perhaps it is a start to change?
A start?
Today. Kindness. Pay it Forward.

8 comments:

Unknown said...

I find it so hard to even watch the news. Not because I don't care rather it truly upsets me to watch the cold hard truth. I squirmed while reading the words you posted and shudder at the fact that these things go on in this world.

I truly believe a smile and an act of kindness goes a long way. Thank you for sharing these truths.

ThursdayNext said...

I hope that when they find the attacker he is also charged with child endangerment and the child is taken away from him. As a former high school teacher who burnt out, its so hard for me to even muster the strength to write my thoughts about society's lack of investment in today's youth. I was on my own, and it was either swim to shore or sink badly in the classroom...

Jess said...

Thanks for reminding us about the Golden Rule. It appears that there were strength in numbers in their case, and perhaps it would have taken just one person's courage to influence the others.

Leigh of Tales from Bloggeritaville said...

Debbie- I could not have said it any better myself.

Thursday Next- I hear you on that one. Teachers today are well under paid and schools are understaffed. Teachers should be expected to teach, yet we expect them to parent and referee. I know a FEW other teachers with your same thoughts who also quit because of those very circumstances. It is a shame because these (as I know you are) were ones that were passionate to teach and share that passion for learning. My praise to teachers and administrators.

Mrs. Jules, True. All it takes is one. One seems small, but that one can infulence (as you said) others. One brave soul.

Susan said...

OK I'll pay it forward tomorrow and be nice to every whinny kid who comes to the health room... no rollin eyes tomorrow!!!! I promise!
Susan
P.S. I agree what has our society come to???

Michelle said...

I need some good news too! LOL I have had a few interested people in the store but most are leery because of the track record Helena businesses have..I guess they dont beleive me when I tell them the only reason we are going to have to close is because I am physically exhausted.. Seriously.. Sad too.. Unless someone buys this place, the doors will close in December..

Charnita said...

I gave up watching the news several years ago. I really could live without a tv if it were not for grey's anatomy. I watched idol in its stead, BUT I digress........I see all the headlines I need online and i do not have to click if I do not want to.
I agree. Random acts of kindness - one a day, every day.

j said...

That is shocking. I haven't seen the footage and I don't want to. I never saw the footage of those teenagers either.

It scares me terribly. More so for my kids as for myself.

Jen