From: brucer@drutx.ATT.COM (RobinsonB)
Newsgroups: rec.motorcycles
Subject: Re: Deer Claims Another; Thoughts
Summary: TV land????
Date: 22 Jul 92 15:50:21 GMT
Organization: AT&T, Denver, CO

In article <JEP.92Jul21141223@thneed.cs.duke.edu>, jep@cs.duke.edu (Jonathan E. Polito) writes:
> 
> In article <9900936@hpfcso.FC.HP.COM> ron@hpfcso.FC.HP.COM (Ron Miller) writes:
>    [ story of a motorcyclist colliding with a deer and some useful
>    thoughts on emergency equipment ]
> 
>    When you reject the "cost to society" argument, please remember that you
>    are also spitting in the face of suddenly involved strangers who will be 
>    inconvenienced by your decision. They cannot spit back at you as you lie 
>    unconscious and bleeding on (or off) the road.
> 
>    Ride Safe,
>    Ron Miller
> 
> 
> What kind of TV land do you live in that your priorities are so askew?
> How can you say that you are inconvenienced by someone dying that
> requires your help? There are not too many things more important than
> life.  Next time your mother/wife/child needs to be rushed to the
> hospital and you are not around you better hope that others don't
> think like you or at least don't spend an hour wondering what the law
> requires them to do. 
> 
> Man talk about cold.
> Jonathan.
> --
> Jonathan Polito                                      DoD #x (K 100)
> jep@cs.duke.edu                                  jpolito@encore.com 
>               "You Don't Say...." --- Sylvia Plath

	What in Ron's posting implied that the thought of "what the law
	required him to do" ever even entered his mind?

	Jonathan, you need to learn to read (for content) before you flame.
	Ron's posting was mostly about the kind of emergency equipment he plans
	to include in inventory so that he will be better prepared to help
	accident victims in the future.  If I ever had an accident and was
	dying by the side of the road the thoughts running through my mind
	would include " ... and please let Ron Miller be the next person
	to pass by ... "  That he mentions the "cost to society" issue indicates
	that he is also, in addition to being ready to help, is also ready
	to think; something you should try, Jonathon, after your knee finishes
	jerking.

	Perhaps *you've* spent too much time watching TV, Jonathon.  Witnessing
	a bloody trauma in real life imposes an intense *cost* to the witness'
	emotional well-being, even though the predominant thoughts are of
	compassion for the victim.  Ignoring this cost blinds you to the very
	real possibility of intense, severe, and lasting personal damage.
	The complexity of the human mind and spirit allows for compassion and
	resentment to co-exist in the same soul.  Ron's posting recognizes that
	complexity in a way your favorite TV programs cannot approach.

	For the most part, I'm a radical person.  If I were to design society,
	people with severely damaged genetic make-up would not be *permitted*
	to procreate, people who were capable of earning but refused to work
	would be allowed to starve, criminals would *suffer* in proportion to
	their crimes, and society would not pay the cost of perpetual life-
	support for brain-trashed motorcycle accident victims.  In my society,
	the squidly choices of the young, foolish, and uninformed few would not
	be allowed to impose a large dollar cost on the many.  But, my vision
	of society will never come to pass, at least not until the bleeding
	hearts bleed this society to death.

	(( bigot mode on ))

	Have you ever noticed that posters whose paths contain ".edu" often say
	such *stupid* things???

	(( bigot mode off ))

-- 
    66    Life is great, all else is just commentary.
     >
     ^ .................. brucer (DoD #0002)