My Journal #2

To sue or not to sue?

Prompt: Do bystanders have a responsibility to intervene when someone is in trouble? Why or Why not?

Since it was first recorded, the good Samaritan story has touched hearts and people have responded with a helping hand to someone in need. Whether  it be assisting someone from a burning car, stopping to help a person in a fight or just rescuing an animal in danger. It is in our nature to help the helpless.

Then in the last decade or so, greedy lawyers, insensitive judges and the less than honest public have shut the door to people coming to the rescue.
These upholders of the law, interpreters of the constitution felt the need to line their own pockets or make a judicial precedent with their name on it. Then of course someone had to side with them and not over rule their judgement, and I 'm sure that included lining someone's pocket or bed.

As you can tell I have very little respect for the judicial system in place today. To counter this hand-chopping of the helpful citizen, the good lawyers and judges came up with the Good Samaritan Law (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Good_Samaritan_law) Should we help or not? We do out of instinct but then reality checks us and we access the situation as a possible law suit and offer to call 911. Some just walk away like those who left the poor man in the roadside.

It is a question we all think about. In fact there is a TV show that asks that question. They put actors in situations and watch the public's reaction. They interview them. I remember the little boy in the winter sitting on a bus bench with no coat.  What happens is pretty heartwarming.

Most of us care about our neighbor. Jesus told the parable then asked, "Who was thy neighbor?" When they answered, he encouraged them to look out for their neighbors.