Would You Stay Behind
In recent reports surviving students at VA Tech has said that they jumped out of a second story building window while their professor stayed behind to try to prevent the shooter from entering the room. All but two students made it out of the building. Those two students were shot, but the others in the classroom said that they think they survived. The professor was shot point blank and didn’t make it.
It brings and important questions to mind. That professor clearly had a choice to make. He could have jumped out of the window first, being the professor. He could have pushed the students out of the window faster in order to get out himself and not worried about about door. Or, he could have…well…did what he did: held off the shooter as long as possible so that others could escape.
He sacrificed his life for others. He choose to die so that his students could live.
I think you all know what Jesus would do.
But what would you do?
shootings, VA Tech shooting, VA Tech, Virginia Tech, Virginia Tech shooting, what would Jesus do, Jesus, school shooting
April 17th, 2007 at 10:29 am
I think most students if they were conscious of helping others they would have stayed behind like the professor who in this case was very conscious of the decision being made.
I think when events like this happen, we forget ourselves and others and follow the pack. We don’t necessairly think of ourselves or others in general when something like this happens this fast, but rather than to think and maintain a clear head, we follow the lead of others in escape I think.
By the way, I found your blog the first time last night through the bloggers choice awards site. I enjoy reading it!
April 17th, 2007 at 12:32 pm
While Derek is right, and I’m sure in situations of panic, we might tend to follow the pack, I think a lot of us are also thinking “Danger. Must get myself out.” If we have children or other family that we consider close in the situation, then we may consider them above ourselves but generally, there is a whole lot of self preservation going on.
I often wonder if I would be willing to die for my another or for my faith: when it really comes down to it, would I stand up for what I believe in? I pray that I would.
The sacrifice of this professor (and others like him that will doubtlessly be reported as more is learned about this tragedy), and I pray for the families and friends of the affected.
April 17th, 2007 at 10:50 pm
[...] Although I am not a religious man, this painting, technically a fresco gives me a sense of calm, knowing that this painter created a great work of Art that has survived for centuries and has astonished people down through the ages. Michelangelo surely worked despite tragedy in his life at his time in society. [...]
April 18th, 2007 at 12:13 am
I like to think I’d have baracaded the door like they did in the classroom across the hall and we all could have lived to tell the tale.