A Victim Treats His Mugger Right

[Sir Edward]

A Victim Treats His Mugger Right
http://www.npr.org/2008/03/28/89164759/a-victim-treats-his-mugger-right

[Sir Brian]

Awesome. Such a noble and righteous spirit. I feel humbled in the presence of the Lord.

[Ian]

I don't mean to rain on the parade but I think that guy is lucky to be alive.  He picked the right mugger to do that to.  I can see that story ending very differently, and very tragically for that matter.

[Sir Brian]

Very true Ian, but it is that very real possibility that makes this an awesome story! After all life without risk is no life at all. On another note I personally would feel less threatened by a knife than I would by a gun but I still don't think I could have done what he did because my compassion doesn't run that deep. 

[Sir Andrew]

Hopefully our society as a whole may glean something from this.....

[Sir Edward]

It was definitely risky for sure. The vast, vast, VAST majority of the time, this would not work, and would only serve to endanger yourself.

[SirNathanQ]

Truly, I think our hero had someone watching out for him, if you know what I mean. 

[Sir James A]

He was definitely lucky it turned out as it did. In an odd way, the story reminds me of an old "Fresh Prince of Bel Air" episode. Will and Carlton are at the ATM (or bank or something) and a robber pulls a gun. Will ends up taking a bullet for Carlton, and lives. Later when Carlton goes to visit Will in the hospital, Will finds out that Carlton has a gun and doesn't want to be a victim ever again. In the end, Will convinces Carlton to give him the gun (which may have saved his life). It's a good scene/episode, my text blurb doesn't do it justice, but maybe someone remembers it.

[Thorsteinn]

Some are not willing to kill to defend themselves. They are the ones who should try peace.

[Sir Wolf]

hahaah i love that shirt

[Sir William]

Very true Ian, but it is that very real possibility that makes this an awesome story! After all life without risk is no life at all. On another note I personally would feel less threatened by a knife than I would by a gun but I still don't think I could have done what he did because my compassion doesn't run that deep. 

Neither does mine, and that is part of the problem with society as a whole.  We've become much more insular with the advent of new technologies that allow us to create these little living spaces online that allow us to interact and yet still shield us from the world at large.  It is simple to click off a window and terminate a conversation, but a lot harder to get up and walk away from a face to face.  For some, anyway.

I think this man took a decidedly negative situation and turn it into something positive...I hope all such instances have the same outcome, even if, in our jaded, cynical outlooks, we know, or think we know better.

[Thorsteinn]

"It is better to be violent, if there is violence in our hearts, than to put on the cloak of nonviolence to cover impotence."
    -Mahatma Gandhi

[SirNathanQ]

I personally would be in the camp of "thrash the guy down one side" and then "the other for good measure."
I have a pretty small tolerance of those seeking to intimidate and take by force what people have aquired honestly and properly, and I personally think such knaves and curs should be taught a lesson about the law and their place in life.
Anyway, I am really glad for both of them though. One has already proven himself to be a much better man than I, and hopefully the other will take the path back to becomeing a decent human being.