"Like so many other events in history it was down to the conscience of a single fairly unremarkable man that made the difference. It was the conscience of a captain in the navy of serving the organization we would later brand as "The evil empire" that saved us all. Point being we need to be careful about discounting the humanity of, and vilifying, our present-day enemies."

Very, very true! Governments usually have to 'install' hatred of a group to get a war going, having to vilify the 'enemy'.

I had a neighbor from WWII Germany when I was about 16. She was s nurse during the war. She and a few others in the hospital had a 'sideline' of helping enemies of the Third Reich. They had a man they had hidden in the hospital. One night, they were moving him out. One nurse checked the alley, all clear. They got him propped up on his feet and out the door, when a German officer walked into the alley. They froze. He stopped and looked at them. Then he turned around and ambled back down the alley and stood at the end, facing outward, just quietly smoking his cigarette. They rushed the man into the waiting car and then they went back into the hospital. No shouts, no alarms, no arrests.

For good or bad, it's usually the individuals that make the difference. The others are just sheep.

Sue

I'm not sure I would go so far to condemn people who don't actively resist. The penalties for subversion of the state in WW2 Germany and occupied territories were lavish in their cruelty. Being detained, interrogated and shot was as good as it got. Torture was routine.

The methods of execution were often slow and diabolically cruel. One man suspected of helping allied airmen was scrubbed using brushes and lye soap every day and kept in a damp basement. After a few days he had no skin left and mold was growing on him. It took a month to die and his entire exterior was covered in blue and green molds. His fate was witnessed by many people who could hear him scream as they scrubbed him each day. His method of demise was calculated to chill the blood of anyone thinking of subversion.

But it wasn't just that any resistance was risking your life. They often went after your family and friends. Anyone that could be used for leverage.

years ago I was reading an account of the resistance German occupied Europe and the question was; why did you risk your life, and your families lives to help the downed airmen? The single most common answer was: They asked. Often the difference between heroic resistance and keeping their head down so they would live to see the end of the war was someone asking for help.

This is, IMHO, a valuable lesson for disaster situations. Few people will help unbidden. A few more will help if a general request is made. But if you can look them in the eye and ask them to help most people will do what they can.

This is why taking charge and selecting people for jobs at a disaster works. Imagine a scene where people are hurt and you need someone to maintain pressure on a wound, and someone to direct traffic around the site, and someone to call for help. You can't do it all yourself.

Most people, if they aren't trained emergency responders, aren't going to jump in to help. Not without someone telling them what needs to be done and asking/volunteering/drafting them. Look them in the eyes and tell them to get on their cell phone and call foe help and they will. Do the same with a couple more and they are willing to direct traffic. You have to put yourself on the line asking and bring them into it.

I was really thinking of the everyday people who see what is happening, and let it happen because it isn't currently affecting them. This point tends to be quite a long time before the torture and execution point.

From freedom to slavery always seems to happen in rather small increments, practically unnoticeable if you're not paying attention. If Thomas Jefferson woke up and looked at America today, and what has happened to his carefully crafted Constitution, what do you think he would say?

Sue

"I don't think I will move to Arizona just yet..." ??

Susan... and concerning the sheep.... there is an old adage in political science... put a frog in hot water and he will immediately jump out, but place the frog in cool water and increase the temperature a little each day... the frog will cook... as he only realizes the slight additional discomfort and has no standard of comparison to the first day... regards Les