Comments on: The Lesson of United 93: Overpower The Attacker http://www.thecherryorchard.org/2007/04/17/the-lesson-of-united-93-overpower-the-attacker/ A Fresh Look at News, Politics and History Fri, 10 Feb 2012 11:17:06 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.3 by: Chuck http://www.thecherryorchard.org/2007/04/17/the-lesson-of-united-93-overpower-the-attacker/#comment-959 Thu, 03 May 2007 11:04:48 +0000 http://www.thecherryorchard.org/2007/04/17/the-lesson-of-united-93-overpower-the-attacker/#comment-959 It's a legitimate question. There are lots of things we don't know about what happened in that building--or i don't know, maybe more facts have come out that i'm not aware of. Asking this question doesn't insult anybody. Obviously you can ask practically any question in an insulting manner if you try. But asking this question isn't, in itself, insulting. It might help people to understand what happened, and having that knowledge could possibly help someone who finds themself in a similar situation in the future. It could be helpful to have a conversation about what people can do in situations like this. (I just found your blog yesterday, when looking for info on the SC debate.) It’s a legitimate question. There are lots of things we don’t know about what happened in that building–or i don’t know, maybe more facts have come out that i’m not aware of. Asking this question doesn’t insult anybody. Obviously you can ask practically any question in an insulting manner if you try. But asking this question isn’t, in itself, insulting. It might help people to understand what happened, and having that knowledge could possibly help someone who finds themself in a similar situation in the future. It could be helpful to have a conversation about what people can do in situations like this.

(I just found your blog yesterday, when looking for info on the SC debate.)

]]> by: nancy http://www.thecherryorchard.org/2007/04/17/the-lesson-of-united-93-overpower-the-attacker/#comment-952 Sun, 22 Apr 2007 00:59:12 +0000 http://www.thecherryorchard.org/2007/04/17/the-lesson-of-united-93-overpower-the-attacker/#comment-952 Despite all the apologies to the contrary, everybody but Morgan is accusing. That may be because it's much, much easier to believe that "this could never happen to me" than to realize most people will never be in this situation and anticipating how you will act in some possible future scenario is absurd. In the end, Morgan is right for exactly the right reason. Those on flight 93 had the luxury of time. Despite all the apologies to the contrary, everybody but Morgan is accusing. That may be because it’s much, much easier to believe that “this could never happen to me” than to realize most people will never be in this situation and anticipating how you will act in some possible future scenario is absurd.

In the end, Morgan is right for exactly the right reason. Those on flight 93 had the luxury of time.

]]> by: brooklyn http://www.thecherryorchard.org/2007/04/17/the-lesson-of-united-93-overpower-the-attacker/#comment-951 Wed, 18 Apr 2007 00:59:38 +0000 http://www.thecherryorchard.org/2007/04/17/the-lesson-of-united-93-overpower-the-attacker/#comment-951 Also, I am interested to hear that there are now many reported instances of bravery and sacrifice among the students and faculty ... Also, I am interested to hear that there are now many reported instances of bravery and sacrifice among the students and faculty …

]]> by: brooklyn http://www.thecherryorchard.org/2007/04/17/the-lesson-of-united-93-overpower-the-attacker/#comment-950 Wed, 18 Apr 2007 00:58:13 +0000 http://www.thecherryorchard.org/2007/04/17/the-lesson-of-united-93-overpower-the-attacker/#comment-950 Thanks, Amber, Morgen and Stokely, for your responses so far. Morgen, I agree that there is absolutely no need here to condemn the students at Va Tech, and I'm definitely not trying to do that. I'm more interested in stating this for the future. If I am ever in a situation like this, I want to know that the people next to me will know what we have to do -- as Amber said, throw desks at the gunman ... or maybe just scream "get him" and make sure that people come at him from more than one angle (he can only shoot in one direction at a time). Anything but sit there and wait to be saved by somebody else, if a situation is already out of control. Thanks, Amber, Morgen and Stokely, for your responses so far.

Morgen, I agree that there is absolutely no need here to condemn the students at Va Tech, and I’m definitely not trying to do that. I’m more interested in stating this for the future. If I am ever in a situation like this, I want to know that the people next to me will know what we have to do — as Amber said, throw desks at the gunman … or maybe just scream “get him” and make sure that people come at him from more than one angle (he can only shoot in one direction at a time). Anything but sit there and wait to be saved by somebody else, if a situation is already out of control.

]]> by: Stokely http://www.thecherryorchard.org/2007/04/17/the-lesson-of-united-93-overpower-the-attacker/#comment-949 Tue, 17 Apr 2007 23:39:57 +0000 http://www.thecherryorchard.org/2007/04/17/the-lesson-of-united-93-overpower-the-attacker/#comment-949 I have to agree, but not that it’s a lesson from Flight 93. It is in a way, an opportunity to decide if your life is worth saving others. Every parent, policeman, fireman, and soldier understands this. Every suicide bomber understands this. It baffles me that students at Columbine, at Virginia Tech, would not react that way. You could say this is the lesson from Dicken’s A Tale of Two Cities, or Homer’s Patroclus. The ‘no greater love’ as Jesus put it. We have to question a society where people would hide and watch others die. Or more generally that people are so under-prepared for traumatic situations. Like you, I’m not accusing. But wondering about our society’s principles; what we’re teaching, what we’re learning. I have to agree, but not that it’s a lesson from Flight 93. It is in a way, an opportunity to decide if your life is worth saving others. Every parent, policeman, fireman, and soldier understands this. Every suicide bomber understands this. It baffles me that students at Columbine, at Virginia Tech, would not react that way.

You could say this is the lesson from Dicken’s A Tale of Two Cities, or Homer’s Patroclus. The ‘no greater love’ as Jesus put it. We have to question a society where people would hide and watch others die. Or more generally that people are so under-prepared for traumatic situations. Like you, I’m not accusing. But wondering about our society’s principles; what we’re teaching, what we’re learning.

]]> by: Morgen http://www.thecherryorchard.org/2007/04/17/the-lesson-of-united-93-overpower-the-attacker/#comment-948 Tue, 17 Apr 2007 20:34:43 +0000 http://www.thecherryorchard.org/2007/04/17/the-lesson-of-united-93-overpower-the-attacker/#comment-948 You know, I did think about that as well...but there is a big difference between this scenario and United Flight 93, the difference being time. During United 93, the passengers had time to think. They had the time to call their families on their cell phones...and many learned what was happening and were able to figure out that they were only pawns flying in a bomb whose destination would kill many more. They had the time to develop a plan and then acted. At Virginia Tech, the students went from sitting and listening to a teacher to the sound of shots and screams, the normal reaction is self-preservation. You might compare it to being startled from a deep sleep...you jump up, your heart is pounding, you're confused. Although I'd like to think that I would have it within me to be a hero every minute of the day, you cannot place judgement on these students unless you know first hand what its like to be in that situation. Hopefully, none of us ever will be. Peace to you. You know, I did think about that as well…but there is a big difference between this scenario and United Flight 93, the difference being time. During United 93, the passengers had time to think. They had the time to call their families on their cell phones…and many learned what was happening and were able to figure out that they were only pawns flying in a bomb whose destination would kill many more. They had the time to develop a plan and then acted. At Virginia Tech, the students went from sitting and listening to a teacher to the sound of shots and screams, the normal reaction is self-preservation. You might compare it to being startled from a deep sleep…you jump up, your heart is pounding, you’re confused. Although I’d like to think that I would have it within me to be a hero every minute of the day, you cannot place judgement on these students unless you know first hand what its like to be in that situation. Hopefully, none of us ever will be. Peace to you.

]]> by: Amber http://www.thecherryorchard.org/2007/04/17/the-lesson-of-united-93-overpower-the-attacker/#comment-947 Tue, 17 Apr 2007 16:35:06 +0000 http://www.thecherryorchard.org/2007/04/17/the-lesson-of-united-93-overpower-the-attacker/#comment-947 Exactly what I thought! I go to a university of a similar size and have a morning German class like a couple dozen of the victims did, and I plan on making sure my classmates know we are throwing our desks at the gunman if we were in that situation. Exactly what I thought! I go to a university of a similar size and have a morning German class like a couple dozen of the victims did, and I plan on making sure my classmates know we are throwing our desks at the gunman if we were in that situation.

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