I'm sure you've heard the story, but I'm glad to hear a local businessman has put up a $10,000 reward in the search for the knife-wielding attacker. Hugo Alfredo Tale-Yax, 31 years old, gave his life to save a complete stranger. And as he lay dying, 25 people walked past him, doing nothing.
Well, almost nothing. One guy did take out his cell phone. Not to call 9-1-1, sadly. He stopped to take a picture.
Tale-Yax was an illegal immigrant and a homeless man. Two qualities that make America's collective ass twitch. But he acted heroically. The 25 passersby? No doubt they had homes, jobs, legal citizenship. And they acted with complete, heartless apathy.
They're looking for the woman who was the intended victim of the attack. She may not have known Tale-Yax was mortally wounded. Personally, I hope they also find the guy that took the picture.
I hadn't seen that, how sad. I feel like I've heard stories like this out of NY all my life. Thanks for pointing this out, MV. How you been?
ReplyDeleteOkay, I can post comments here at home, but not at work. Which is probably a good thing, so I think I'll leave it like that. One more way to separate my work self from my comic self, and one more way of staying out of trouble.
ReplyDeleteI've been away for some time now -- it hasn't been the best year for me or my supporting cast of characters. I don't know if I'll really get into any of that in the comic or blog, but I'm back for right now and needed some kind of creative outlet, so here we are.
There's been an update to the story, as I wrote in the other blog -- it's possible the woman knew the attacker and that's why she hasn't come forward.
Fear. I have to believe it's fear that made all those people walk by, fear that keeps this woman from going to the cops -- we're a nation in fear.
I'm not saying everyone should run out and be heroic -- that's never been the point of my blog or the comics, despite the title -- but I'd like more attention brought to this story and stories like it. We have to start somewhere if we're ever going to overcome this and help each other out, as a population.
What Tale-Yax did was unquestionably heroic. That's one end of the spectrum. At the other, we have the people who stroll on by, hoping to not get involved.
So my wish, dear readers, as if there are any, is that if you ever see a crime in progress or a person in need of emergency care, take the smallest step and just call 9-1-1 and run away.
Is that really too much to ask? You don't have to give your name (or address, if you're reporting a crime in your neighborhood.)
And maybe watch a little less news on TV. That's why we're all scared to begin with.
Not to oversimplify the thing, but if this happened in Canada, for example, would 20+ people walk by and do nothing?
Thoughts?
Holy Crap, MV. I am so glad to see you drawing again and I saved this particular comic because it is so intense.
ReplyDeleteI thought that I was a follower already...but blogger did not remember me. Did you delete your previous followers?
This story is so horrific and I still have a hard time believing it. But I am one of those freak people who butt in all the fucking time. I am the lady who will tell someone to quit bitching out their toddler and god-forbid I ever see someone lay a hand on a kid because I am right there defending the child from the angry parent.
This, so much more intense than that - a guy lay dying for fuck's sake. I just cannot believe anyone would walk on by. I cannot fathom this kind of apathy and unwillingness to get involved. It does not make sense to me whatsoever. I am just not wired like that,
Thank you so much for this, MV. Totally needed.
Again, thanks for the comments. They mean a lot to me.
ReplyDeleteI've read some more on this story -- psychologists coming forward with rationalizations about Bystander Syndrome or whatever. I'll have to do some more research later when I have more time. I hope they'll eventually be able to identify as many people involved as they can. Especially the guy with the camera.
More later... and thanks again!