The other day I was driving home from work and heard about another failed bombing attempt in England. The bomb was attached to some guy on a bus. It made a loud bang and smoke billowed out of it. Luckily, it did not go off. The terrorist (For those confused by the word "terrorist", just imagine the word "insurgent" in its place.) realized his mission had failed and ran off the bus.
Maybe it was the hour (5:30AM) or maybe they started talking about the weather or something, but I trailed off into my own thoughts. At first I was happy that no one was injured. Nobody died, that's a good thing. The next thing I thought about was how these bastards are running rampant over there. I offhandedly blamed the government's inability to quell the hate speech imams over in England and was about to pay attention to the news again and just roll on home when another thought hit me.
I had suddenly come to the realization that an entire busload of Britoners had looked a known terrorist in the face and firmly planted their collective thumbs up their asses. Did they not realize that a terrorist had just attempted to kill them all? Were they so afraid of the terrorist that they all stood there paralyzed with fear of him? Maybe they're just so apathetic about things they have truly become a nation of sheeple? I do not know why or how they had failed their duties to defend their country but a great opportunity for all of them was missed.
I then turned to myself in contemplation of what I would do in a situation such as this. Surely the individual in question would be mauled almost instantly in America. I'm sure the biggest problem would be keeping him alive long enough for the authorities to arrive. Would we just hold him down? Would we simply kill him? Would we pummel and torture him without regard for what would happen to us? At the time I was thinking these thoughts I had hoped that I would try and torture him into divulging something. As I reflect on this today I'm pretty sure I would simply sit on his chest until the paddy wagon showed up.
I'm sure there are those out there willing to defend these people that failed to detain him. I'm sure some would say that I would have done the same thing as these other people and stood immobilized. To these people I say you may be right. I have never been in such a situation and do not fully know how I would react to it. I would hope I could at least make the simple declaration that may spur others into action: TERRORIST!
...are they really that apathetic?
I know exactly what you would do! You have been reactive your whole life. As soon as the word "terrorist" entered your mind, you'd be kicking butt! You wouldn't stop to consider consequences to yourself, and the words, "must destroy evil", would be running through your head!
So does all this make you special. Of course! It makes you American!
Posted by: Patty-Jo at July 27, 2005 05:07 AMI think we know what you would do. Great post! Not only are people being apethetic, but some even sympathetic. Sad.
Posted by: Jay at July 27, 2005 08:12 AMAmazing what an overdose of apathy will do to a people. I can think of certain passengers on a certain plane that, on a certain 9/11, were not apathetic.
/TJ
Every time I wrote the word I was actually thinking: Eh? Pathetic!
Posted by: Jeremy at July 27, 2005 02:46 PMJeremy, as a therapist the word shock enters my mind, especially since the deadly bombing two weeks prior... then, like you, on reflection, I wondered maybe they are still too civilized. We need to get a little hardened. Like our forefathers were prepared to drop the plow at a moment's notice and pick up a musket, so too do we need to be prepared and that is going to take some time. The civilized world has been too complacent for too long.
Posted by: GM at July 27, 2005 03:09 PMI wonder if the people realized what was about to happen. If it happens as fast as some say...BUT after, I would have taken the scumbag terrorist down. No second thoughts. I would have used anything in my presence to knock him out or whatever. I think I would have gotten others to help too.
Posted by: Raven at July 27, 2005 07:48 PMI think most of us have wondered how we would react if we were faced with such a situation.
I think I would be too shocked to react for the first minute or so, and since I am not as young and strong as I once was, and my reflexes aren't quite as sharp, I don't know if I could chase and tackle him like a football player might, although my spirit has visions of me doing such a thing, and slamming his head into the cement until he is a bloody mess.
However, if someone could catch him, all my years of pulling weeds and crocheting have given me very strong hands and fingers, and I know I could pinch him half to death. I am a helofa pincher!
There is always something we can do. It seems that everyone waits for 'someone else' to take action.
That mentality makes me want to kick some patooties!
Jeremy, I agree with your mom. You would do the right thing. You have been trained to react in a situation like this. It would all come back to you in a flash.
I look at it this way, as egocentristic as it may sound. Europeans who think the way we do have already migrated to America; what is left (no pun intended) are people who are willing to allow themselves to be dominated by others -- if not a socialist government, then Islamofacsits, or communists, or nazis. Remember too that most Europeans look at our penchant for having guns as entirely barbaric; here, especially in the southern states, citizens are permitted to carry firearms. Ergo -- a major difference in culture.
Posted by: Mustang at July 29, 2005 04:50 AMInteresting point Mustang. I never would have thought of it like that.
Posted by: Raven at July 29, 2005 06:05 AMScenario 1: You are on a plane which has been hijacked by terrorists armed with cardboard cutters. You have been informed that 2 other planes have been hijacked and flown into buildings, killing 1000s of people and everybody on board. Faced with certain death a group gets together and decides to act.
Scenario 2: There is a small explosion in a rucksack - a man runs past you - you make a
quick check to see if you are still alive.
20/20 hindsight and sneering superiority... does all this make you special. Of course! It makes you American!
When faced with a situation in which torturing a terrorist by attaching a car battery charger to his testicles will reveal tactical information that will save American lives, there is only things you should know.
Black is negative, and red is positive.
Posted by: Mr. Beamish the Instablepundit at August 1, 2005 10:03 PM