Fight or Flight?

The news this week has been replete with the Tucson shootings, made even more spectacular due to the congresswoman being shot in the melee. The participants have been interviewed over and over again. The doctors have given their non-reports numerous times (whatever happened to the HIPPA provisions?) The talking heads have conjured up all sorts of tertiary angles. And the sad truth is, no one has an answer to the "why" question. It happened and will probably happen again, in another place, another setting, in the not too distant future. And we will be yanked back into the fear and paranoia that accompanies the unexplainable.

So what would you do if you are suddenly caught in the chaos of one of these situations? It seems to me that there are three categories of responses. One, run like the wind (or as close to it as you can, my 56-year-old body just doesn't motor like it used to.) A significant number of the "flight" crowd seem to escape injury and death. They are probably the smart ones, the ones who survive and make the camera appearances. Perhaps it is the historians among us who can run before thinking, they live to tell the tale. I might be one of those, but I suspect that by the time I figure out what is happening the event will be over and I will be one who is either wounded and bleeding on the ground or one of those old curmudgeons who had bullets whipping all around them and never really understood what was going on. Puzzled expression and the immortal words, "what the..."

Then there are the ones who are there with a loved one and their first thought is for them. The story of the guy covering his wife's body, and dying in that brave act of sacrifice, while she was wounded. I would do anything to save my bride, but she will need to be pretty quick on the uptake to clue me in on whats going on.
"What's that annoying popping sound?"
"Gunfire! you idiot!"
"Well, what would anyone be doing shooting a gun around here, that's not safe!"
"Get down you old fool!"
"What?"
We seem to be having some hearing problems these days..my hearing..her exasperation over having to repeat everything she says. Plus my reaction time is now measured in minutes, not seconds, or split-seconds. The only real help I may be would be to provide a much larger target than my bride. These "protectionists" don't seem to fare well in these stories.

Of course we always have the hero's among us. They can be young men, or old women. Recent stories of mature women taking on the heavily armed with nothing more than their purse is a little frightening to me. They even have time to make their escape, yet they turn into the fray. I was astonished at the older lady who grabbed the extra clip the guy was trying to load into his automatic, all the while berating him for his hatred and evil acts. THAT is a true mom, facing danger with the courage of combat veteran and not not losing the opportunity to scold and correct. I am serious here, I am stunned by her courage.
Then there was the young man who was armed and willing to tackle the guy before he could do more damage. His only explanation was that he was raised in the 9/11 generation. They expect stuff like this to happen, they are ready, they will not be caught off-guard. Talk about a generation gap. I have a lot of hope for the future when we have moms and young people who will do what is necessary to stop the insanity.

Here is my point. The world is changing in unimaginable ways. Our world of safe and secure is no longer an option. We will have to decide if we are flighters, fighters, or protectors. And the decision will have to be spur of the moment. It is our nature and mind bent that will determine how we react. But the fact is that our world has changed, and in so doing has changed us.

Godspeed out there, the trail seems a bit narrower, and the wilderness a bit closer in.
Don