Comments

1. What?

   I actually thought the initial described approach of the Samaritan detailed in the article was fairly mature and responsible, but you're right. My mistake: expecting maturity or concern for this woman's ward before the conversation she was having was most unfair of me. Yes. You're right. I was clearly mistaken. How can we compare something trivial such as a baby's safety or well being to this nanny's feelings or yours? I must've gotten caught up in hero frenzy. Maybe we should educate the public more on this, now that you've set me straight. After all, we can't have people bothering nanny's with improper communication just to save a paltry baby or two. Thank you, again.

   7 months, 2 weeks ago In response to The Nanny Diaries

2. I disagree.

   I would agree if we were trying this case or getting to the bottom of something. But what I was referring to is the inclination on the part of certain people to take the facts as presented at face value and infer responsibility to certain parties based upon that. The first comment was saying what the person intervening 'should' have done. This wasn't questioning any particulars. It was attacking a Samaritan. Frankly, what I am saying is I am more willing to offer the benefit of the doubt to the person acting on behalf of another than the person indicating negligence. Further, I think the stance taken (by them, not you) speaks more of their own views on responsibility than the case at hand. Frankly, that someone should have to carefully and gently say "You're hurting that baby" in an inoffensive way to be rather ludicrous.

   7 months, 2 weeks ago In response to The Nanny Diaries

3. Safe Harbor? Reply

   With respect to the above comment, I fail to see how that is 'the whole point'. Who exactly are you to decide who should bare the brunt of the laws designed to protect us? So if she's too young she shouldn't be held responsible for her actions or their consequences, but enjoy all the freedoms our society gives to people who do accept them? What about poor people? Should they be aloud to rob you or kill you if they're too young? And kids underage drinking and driving who might run you or me over? They deserve protection from those mean nasty members of society who don't? No, if someone is able to perform an act they have to accept responsibility for that act and the consequences. You can feel bad for them, have mercy on them, have sympathy. But otherwise it's not responsibility or justice. I'm not judging the girl. In fact I know nothing about her. She could be the sweetest thing on earth. I'm not judging her. I'm judging her act. And frankly in absence of any facts people want to bend over backwards to come up with reasons to make it okay. What her actions speak of are not concern for someone else. They're persuing the minimum effort with the minimum risk to relieve this girl of responsibility at the expense of everyone around her. We don't know her background, her parents, her reasons... that's what a trial is for. Frankly, I find this constant equivocating, making excuses, etc., to speak more of the people doing it than the case at hand. Responsibility sometimes is yes and no, black and white. It might sound nice to say otherwise. But if this girl is run over by a sixteen year old drunk driver tomorrow, or robbed or raped by a sixteen year old boy, tell me then about "The whole point".

   7 months, 2 weeks ago In response to Gone Baby Gone

I salute this woman... and seriously disagree with

It never ceases to amaze me. There is always someone in the crowd who is going to critique the woman who tried to stop the baby baking in the sun and excuse the nanny doing it.

7 months, 3 weeks ago In response to The Nanny Diaries

I agree

The woman in question 'could' have done something that saved him, or she 'could' have become another victim or 'could' have injured him further by trying to move him. I feel this is a case of desperate men willing to sacrifice others to save their own necks... and I mean the lawyers, not just the defendants.

7 months, 3 weeks ago In response to Samaritan or Killer?

Yeah, but...

I agree largely with the comments people have made, but I have another I'd like to respectfully offer up. We live in a capitalist society and our demand has slowly merged the news industry with the entertainment industry. In truth, this isn't really unique in history, but the point is now we're aware of it and we pay for it. When people are offended by something they see in the news, they tend to have no trouble finding their voices in protest. But there is no protest for the offensive nature of the news in general. Let's face it, the people who run news programs don't choose their stories based on what interests them. Has it occurred to anyone how little commentary there would be on Paris Hilton or Britney Spears were it not for people complaining about how people eat it up? Why are there no protests about this content on our news programs? Why, in fact, do we reward it with higher ratings? I think a portion of the responsibility lies with us. We can either protest and try to change the content or basically shut up and admit it's what we want.

7 months, 3 weeks ago In response to King's Question

Still no judgement

We're talking bout responsibility here, right? Let's just take a moment. So instead of asking where to go or say, looking up where to take your child, this person passing the child off like a coke can is 'responsible' because the child didn't end up in the trash? Is our modern idea of responsibility and parental obligation now falling short of taking a few extra hours to dump our babies off at an approved spot? I agree with Jamie and what others have said: The way to improve our society isn't by lowering the standards of behavior so everyone can excuse every wretched act because doing better might require discipline or effort. It's not about feeling good about doing the wrong thing and using phrases that start with "Well, at least I didn't ..." It's not about ifs, ands, or buts. People screw up but we don't do ourselves or them any favors when we say "that's okay" and redefine it as virtuous or honorable. What about trying to better ourselves? You don't make the world better by shrugging and saying, "Well, at least they didn't toss their baby in the garbage." If that's someone's idea of not judging or of an ideal society, I would have no wish to take part in it.

7 months, 3 weeks ago In response to Gone Baby Gone

No judgement?

Being judgemental? First, she's not being charged with what could have happened. If it had happened she'd be charged with alot more. If someone shoots at you should they not be charged with anything, if they miss? She is being charged with abandoning a baby. For the record, she 'almost' or 'could have' done the right or legal thing. She chose not to. And personally, yes, I do judge her to be wrong. It doesn't mean I'm not sympathetic, but saying 'it's hard' doesn't disqualify someone from judgement. If doing the right thing were easy, everyone would be doing it. But no, this attitude is instead saying 'let's just call the easy thing right so we feel better for taking the easy way out'. Lot's of good people sacrifice and work hard to do the right thing. This one didn't. And I don't feel bad saying so, because that would be an injustice to those mothers who actually earn my respect.

7 months, 3 weeks ago In response to Gone Baby Gone

Beg pardon?

I'd like to ask many on this board at what point in our history as a culture did abstaining from the singly must monstrously selfish act such as infanticide via dumpster become 'doing the responsible thing' or 'what's best for her child'? People seem inclined, in absence of any information, inclined to trip over themselves to justify this with anything that will absolve her of responsibility. Youth, ignorance, lack of education, depression, mental illness... nobody cares to think it might be the same attitudes that shirked responsibility and got her pregnant in the first place. "This baby is a drag, and so would carrying it those few blocks to the hospital". Give me a break.

7 months, 3 weeks ago In response to Gone Baby Gone

Hang on

At what point in our society did abstaining from utterly the most monstrously selfish behavior imaginable like tossing a baby into a dumpster become 'doing the responsible thing'? And why do people keep insisting she was doing what was best for her child? People are falling all over themselves to absolve her of any responsibility for her state... depression, education, youth, ignorance? I'm not convinced she was motivated by anything but 'this baby is a drag', but weather she was or not, the permissive approach many want to insist upon is only going to foster that attitude.

7 months, 3 weeks ago In response to Gone Baby Gone

Define what responsibility means to you.