What is going on in the world today?

It seems like when I was growing up if you needed help all you had to do was ask for it. I remember when I was just a little kid about 5ish and I was on the bus coming home from camp and I got off at the wrong stop. I was supposed to get off at St. Joe's Hospital, but I got off a little closer to home. So, being the independent soul I am, I walked home. Thought it was no big deal. Until I got home and no one was there because my Mom was waiting for me at St. Joe's. So again I proceeded to walk there myself. (We're up in Maine it's really not that far) I got back to where I started and then realized I couldn't remember exactly where St Joe's is. So thinking I could figure it out I walked to Little City Park thinking also that one of the park staff could help me.

Well, I got there and no staff. So, naturally, I started to cry. I was lost, couldn't find my Mommy and couldn't find St. Joe's. So one of the guys-- some rough looking dude with tattoos - asked me if I was okay. I said I couldn't find my Mommy and I got off at the wrong bus stop and was supposed to be at St. Joe's. So, he said he would bring me to my Mommy. So he very nicely held my hand and walked me to St. Joe's. My Mom was very happy to see me, but very surprised to see me with this guy. I'm sure he was just a teenager from around the neighborhood, but to me at the time he was just a big dude. In the end though, he recognized someone in need and got me to my Mom. He got involved and helped.

Obviously, I have always remembered that kindness of a stranger. I was a scared, lost kid and he helped. So I guess I am just becoming more and more shocked about the indifference of people today to those who need help. Take this for example:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/26637867#26637867

Here's a guy who is just minding his own business and sleeping on the Philly train. On the other side of the partition in front of the door, this big guy on the video parks his 6 yr old son on the seat next to another big guy. He then reaches into his backpack, pulls out a hammer and then... starts beating the guy who was asleep! There are about 10 people on the train with them at the time. Do you think any of the other "big guys" stepped in to help? No! Do you see anyone calling for help? NO! Granted, a 6 ft something couple of hundred pounds size guy wielding a hammer would give me pause to get involved. But I am a 5'2" female. I can at least alert the conductor. The attack takes place over a 5 minute period in front of the assailant's 6 yr old son. The guy eventually drags the victim off of the train onto the platform and flees after assaulting him some more. And yes, leaves his son behind. The victim while I am sure traumatized, basically okay physically. Shocking when you consider the force under which the attack took place... and it was no small hammer!

After the guy is dragged off of the train one of the other guys reaches over and hits the emergency button. When the attacker flees, a WOMAN grabs the attacker's backpack and goes to help the victim and gets him to a hospital for treatment. The victim is 20 yrs old. The attacker as it turns out is about 37, and a career criminal with a violent crime history. (Assault, rape, etc.) He was identified after police showed the video on TV to ask for help in identifying the attacker. Not sure why you couldn't get that from the kid, or whomever came to get the kid (assuming it was family). Poor little guy is probably quite traumatized. What is even more shocking is that there were 10 people on that train and not one lifted a finger to help the guy until after the danger had passed. (including calling for help) And, the police commissioner in Philly, our former Chief of Police in D.C., Charles Ramsey even points out that while the guy is being attacked and drops his cell phone one of the passengers picks it up and yes... puts it in his pocket. What is with people these days?! What is really scary is that the attacker and victim never met and don't know each other at all. It was just a random, violent attack.

As part of the video package you can also see where people ignore the plight of one of our elderly citizens who is the victim of a hit and run x2. (This one is truly heinous because there is very little risk to self in trying to help someone.) He's been grazed by one car who never stops, hit by another in a dramatic fashion as he is thrown over the hood and lands on the ground. This driver never stops either. Amazingly, neither does anybody else!!!!! Other drivers, pedestrians..... no one helps the guy! He's lying in the middle of the street and no one pays any attention. It's simply incredible, and totally disgusting.

I'm beginning to understand why God sent the big flood.

It's amazing to me that we can all rally around with our patriotism and think we're fighting terrorism and preventing attacks here, when we allow this kind of domestic terrorism to occur amongst us without batting an eye. What does an attack on a train have to do with terrorism? Ask yourself, how scared would you be if you saw that? Would you feel safe on the train again...how about the next day if you had to ride, would you? This kind of terrorism affects all of us, and has wide-reaching effects within communities.

Terrorism isn't limited to the people who hate our country and it's ideals. It happens everyday in places around the country. If we as Americans do not intervene in some fashion to help others when they need it, we've already abandoned the ideals we supposedly cherish. Granted, some situations have higher stakes than others. I didn't say it would be easy. The act of "I don't want to get involved" with situations that simply involve stopping traffic, and calling an ambulance should be met with some sort of culpability that put the victim there in the first place. We are all citizens in the communities in which we live. We should be there to see one another through, not see through one another (forgot who quoted this...but I liked it).

And for those of you who disagree, I certainly hope you don't find yourself on the wrong end of a hammer on a train somewhere. Or on the asphalt after getting hit by two cars. It's gonna be a long wait until you get help; at least in the world you want to see!