Does anyone remember Baby Jessica? The girl who fell in a well in 1987 and was rescued? This event was broadcast live on many news outlets. The reason it was is because so many Americans were concerned about the welfare of the baby, hoping she would live. Thankfully she did. The country rallied around this family in their time of desperation and dire need. No one pointed fingers about how or why the child fell in the well. They just were concerned that she be saved.
What has happened to people in America in the past 30 years?
In recent weeks, two incidents involving children encountering wild animals have been met by immense criticism and judgment.
A 3-year-old boy snuck away and crossed into a Gorilla exhibit where he was approached by Harambe, a 450 pound gorilla. Harambe was eventually shot and killed saving the boy and leaving him with only minor injuries. Instead of hailing this as a miracle that the boy was still alive and rallying to support the family of the boy, it was met with accusatory fingers and “pitch forks” at what an awful mother who needed to be a better parent. Assumptions were made that she was on her phone or otherwise not doing her job as a parent. Never mind that 99.9 percent of people, if they’re being honest, have done the exact same thing at some time or another.
Just a couple of weeks later a 2-year old boy was killed at a Disney resort in Orlando and again many rushed to judge. Bad parenting was again claimed by people who weren’t there and don’t know what really happened or how it happened. Instead of consoling the family who watched this horrible event and lost a son, many bashed them for making poor parenting decisions. Why? What purpose did shaming them do to help the situation?
Perhaps it’s the Internet age that has led everyone to consider themselves experts on everything. The vast majority of people have never encountered a silverback gorilla or an alligator face to face. Yet, it seems everyone had an expert opinion on what should or should not have been done by parents and professional animal trainers in these horrific situations. In the case of the boy in the Gorilla pit at the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden, it seemed there was more sympathy for the gorilla than the boy and his family.
I am growing increasingly weary of the faux outrage that people show, seemingly just to prove they’re right. In another two weeks, they’ll find something else to dust off their pitch forks about and forget all about how awful it is that a gorilla was shot to save a boy’s life and that another boy drown after being dragged into the water by an alligator.
Please, please, please, the next time there is a tragedy such as these, let our first reaction be one of compassion, empathy and mercy instead of anger, hostility and judgment.
