What got me to thinking (stand back!) was hearing about the Dutch guy who heard a pop, saw smoke, and just went after the guy and took him down. Don't you just love stories like that? I read something else about an unruly passenger who was tackled by others and restrained with duct tape. (I think this picture could be also be taken in a serial killer sort of way, but I'd rather think about subduing murderous fanatics.)
It made me wonder what I would do. It's hard to say until you've been in such a critical situation, but I would hope that I would be brave enough to step up like the Dutch guy did on this flight, or the passengers on the doomed United 93. I'm not a big person, so I usually tend to err on the side of self-preservation and not put myself in harm's way. (Or as one dumbass I used to be involved with liked to say, "in arm's way." I rolled my eyes every time he said it.) However, I also have quite a temper, and it really pisses me off to see others mistreated--especially loved ones, but even complete strangers. I don't lose my temper often, but when I do, you'd better run. [grin]
People talk about losing their tempers so thoroughly that they lose their minds...can't think straight, don't remember what they said or did, or what happened. I tend to focus like a laser beam, with things remaining clear and my thought processes sharp. I would imagine that witnessing someone attempting to blow up innocent people in the name of their psychotic religious fanaticism would definitely make me see red, and I'd like to think that I'd either do what I could, or be a part of whatever group decided to make a move. How can anyone sit idly by as they witness such a wrong being done? I hope I would do what was right.
How do you think you would react?
You know how I would react because you have seen me confront people who are being abusive to others.
ReplyDeleteAs for the anger thing, in eight years, you have only seen me mad once, and that was at my brother when he had his DUI here.
Better watch out if you piss us both off at the same time :o)
I'd like to think I'd act as well, for my own safety as well as that of the others in the situation. I have been in one such situation and did act, and most people who know me were quite surprised.
ReplyDeleteHi Beth,
ReplyDeleteI know exactly what I'd do ... it's a mixture of self-preservation with taking action. If I were sitting next to that guy, I'd scream like hell, get attention and help from others while dousing the flames as best I could. I think the key, though, is making sure others are helping, too, because I doubt I'd be able to overpower the guy myself. Oh ... and I probably would have been suspicious enough of him from the get-go to get lots of photos of him for the blog before he ignited himself.
Best,
Marty
I am not sure at all. I think I probably would act but not out of an instatnt fear for self preservation or for the others I would probably act first out of sorrow for the poor man !! thinking he had accidently set himself alight.. ... Thats what comes from thinking everybody is nice and kind !!! LOL
ReplyDeleteI think you are feeling a bit better?? hope so,
Love Sybil
I'd probably react like Sybil. Unlike you, I have almost no temper at all. I can't remember ever losing it. I do, however, have two more important traits -- self-preservation and the wish to help others. I hope that those two would kick in and do the trick.
ReplyDeleteOne of the things about being with the SFC, is that I am with a person who KNOWS for sure how I would react. My family knows how I would react, and it would not be a noticible hesitation.
ReplyDeleteI say 'noticiable', because the mind works so fast and you can see a thousand possiblities in an instant. Acting like that when as Ken (or Spock ... can't recall which) mentioned recently regarding the 'needs of the many' calls for someone to do something, is ingrained in me.
The thing about 9-11, was that there weren't two flight 93's... there is no way that if I heard about one plane going down, that I would have been selfish enough to not figure out what is what for us.
Now that there is a greater awarness, I think that there will be more confrontations like the one on the flight that landed at Metro. With everyone knowing what is at stake, people will become more selfless. After all, there is no hope if no one acts and the bad guy does his thing.
a coworker of mine shared her ultimate fantasy with me:
ReplyDeleteshe wants to take duct tape and press it onto a nude man from his neck in the back, down between his legs (including his penis and both testicles),up his chest to his chin. Then after making sure the duct tape is solidly on his flesh, she wants to rip the tape off of him, taking skin, DNA and body hair with her. She is willing to pay a man to be included in this fantasy and she talks about doing it with glee and happiness in her eyes.
i know some weird ass people.
Believe me Beth, I would never notice. I'd be in such a state being surrounded, in very close quarters, by all those strangers on the plane, I wouldn't be in any frame of mind to notice anything. I'd like to think that if I did notice I would immediately do something. I'm not sure what I would do, but I think I could come up with something to quickly subdue him or her.
ReplyDelete