I showed my students a short documentary about this guy who died on 9/11 after saving 12 people. He went back into the building to get more people before it collapsed on him. Sad, truly sad.
One of my students asked me "Mr. Macbeth, would you do the same?" I told them flatly no. My MAGA assistant was like "I would!"
I explained to the students that "You never really know what you would do in this sort of situation until you are in it. A lot of people who say they would step up and do something often don't. People who you think wouldn't step up often do." That probably didn't make her feel very good but I think it would be bad teaching to suggests the kids try to be heroes. The point of the assignment wasn't "how to be a hero" but "How can we be better members of our community?"
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I remember reading a National Review article that was angry that liberals were polled and they largely said they "wouldn't defend their country if attacked." One of the commentators said something along the same lines that "People can claim anything in a poll but when shit hits the fan you never know how people will react. The liberals who say they wouldn't defend the country today might be the hardest fighters tomorrow if their loved one was hurt or they disagreed with the enemy's politics. The conservatives who say they would fight might end up being collaborators and traitors if it came to it. You never really know with these things shake out until it starts happening." Smart guy. I wish he knew I took that wisdom and spread it to young people.
One of my students asked me "Mr. Macbeth, would you do the same?" I told them flatly no. My MAGA assistant was like "I would!"
I explained to the students that "You never really know what you would do in this sort of situation until you are in it. A lot of people who say they would step up and do something often don't. People who you think wouldn't step up often do." That probably didn't make her feel very good but I think it would be bad teaching to suggests the kids try to be heroes. The point of the assignment wasn't "how to be a hero" but "How can we be better members of our community?"
...
I remember reading a National Review article that was angry that liberals were polled and they largely said they "wouldn't defend their country if attacked." One of the commentators said something along the same lines that "People can claim anything in a poll but when shit hits the fan you never know how people will react. The liberals who say they wouldn't defend the country today might be the hardest fighters tomorrow if their loved one was hurt or they disagreed with the enemy's politics. The conservatives who say they would fight might end up being collaborators and traitors if it came to it. You never really know with these things shake out until it starts happening." Smart guy. I wish he knew I took that wisdom and spread it to young people.
