Defective People, Stellar People

On the news this week I heard of a new “challenge” that kids are getting involved with: pouring hot water on each other. One 14-year-old kid in Arkansas was at a sleepover with his friends when the idiots poured boiling water on him. His neck is badly burned and he described waking up screaming and crying.

The commentator I was listening to asked what seemed like a needless question: “Do we really need to tell our kids not to pour hot water on each other?”

Apparently so.

The “hot water challenge” was probably an offshoot of the ice water challenge that was so popular a few years ago. But whereas people would dump a bucket of ice water on their own heads in support of ALS research, this new challenge has kids harming each other. I understand that the idea may have come from videos posted online.

But just as I was getting ready to write off all of humanity, along comes the response to Hurricane Harvey. Hundreds – probably thousands – of people have poured into Texas, ready to lend a hand. In fact, there’s a fantastic video that has been shared over three million times of a line of trucks towing boats that is heading to Texas (http://tinyurl.com/yb942otw). To see the photos of regular people loading those in need into their boats to get them to safety is truly inspiring.

In the news business, we’re taught not to become part of the story, to just report it. But more than once since Hurricane Harvey hit land and the need for evacuating the area became more urgent have there been times when journalists have put aside their work to help out. For example, CNN reporter Ed Lavandera and his crew went into a neighborhood via boat after rescuers said the homes had been evacuated. But after finding that one family had not been evacuated, not only did he put down his microphone to help out, he also asked that the feed be suspended until everyone was safe in the boat.

Stories like these are, of course, peppered with reports of looting in the devastated area; however, rather than dwell on those bottom feeders who prey on the victims, I choose instead to look at the members of humanity who represent the best of us, who reach out to lend a hand, regardless of how it might impact them.

  robin goldsworthy