By Eric Lieberman
Copyright dailycaller
This post is adapted from Mr. Right’s weekly newsletter, which tackles modern manhood for normal guys in a not-normal world. If you have not already subscribed for free, please consider doing so here.
Before we continue to this week’s edition, we would like to extend our condolences and prayers to Charlie Kirk’s loved ones, his wife, Erika, and his two children. Charlie was a great American, a fierce patriot, and, above all, a loving father and husband. We are deeply saddened by his loss.
Rest in peace, Charlie.
In the wake of the Charlotte stabbing, disturbing footage circulating online has left many questioning the responsibilities of bystanders in critical situations.
The full video (which is extremely disturbing and graphic) shows the tragic moments after ex-convict Decarlos Brown Jr. allegedly attacked Iryna Zarutska on a Charlotte light rail train. What stands out beyond the brutality of the act itself is the apparent paralysis exhibited by several passengers who were in the vicinity but chose not to act. (I Got That White Girl’: Charlotte Train Stabbing Suspect Offered Shocking Admission Following Brutal Murder)
It’s easy to be an armchair critic and insist, “I would have done something.” But here’s the undeniable truth exposed in this incident: many people simply didn’t react in the moment.
As Zarutska lay bleeding, visibly in shock, passengers remained rooted to their seats, seemingly more concerned with distancing themselves from the chaos than with helping.
What happened to the impulse to help a fellow human being in distress? Why did it take so long for someone to intervene?
According to the footage, a man and a few others did eventually step up. The man removed his shirt to stanch the bleeding. While this individual should be recognized as a good Samaritan, the reaction of others — or rather, the lack thereof — captures a worrying trend of apathy or fear overriding the instinct to act. It took well over a minute for anyone to do anything.
Shock probably played a role here, immobilizing some bystanders who might otherwise have leapt to the rescue. There are also fears of personal safety when confronting a violent scene. Could others have reasoned that the risk of further violence was too high to justify action? Certainly.
But this does not absolve passivity when immediate life-saving actions were possible, especially after the attacker had stopped and fled.
Perhaps this shocking event should be a wake-up call. Not just for reflections on individual responsibility but also on societal norms that could discourage intervention.
Are we fostering a culture where bystanders are merely spectators in moments of crisis? The answer can and should influence how we prepare, individually and as a society, to respond to emergencies. The incident isn’t just a tragic, isolated event; it’s a broader indictment of societal passivity. (Charlotte City Council Had Literal ‘Let Them Eat Cake’ Moment After Iryna Zarutska Murder)
The Charlotte stabbing is a tragic reminder that heroism doesn’t always require extraordinary feats. Sometimes, it’s about the simple courage to rise from our seats and ask, “Are you okay?” when it truly matters.
Now We’re Cooking: Costco, A Rite Of Passage
My wife and I shopped at Costco for the first time last Sunday.
Shopping at Costco (without your parents) is an American rite of passage, akin to obtaining your driver’s license, turning 21 and having your first legal drink at a bar, or getting your first full-time job.
It makes you feel older, but in the best way possible.
And you know you are getting older when you are more wary of buying in bulk and are pleased by the savings. And when you treat a Costco trip as a fun activity.
More experienced Costco shoppers are aware that you should never go around lunch time on a Sunday, just a few hours before NFL kickoff. We are not such experienced Costco shoppers, and so naively went on a Sunday, just hours before NFL kickoff.
The place was a zoo. A sh*t show. Stressed-out adults every which way, navigating their jumbo-sized carts in the crowded aisles. Kids running off to go find the mini muffin samples. Parents running off to go find the mini muffin samples.
Experienced shoppers also know that when you go to Costco, or any grocery store for that matter, it’s best to have a plan of action, a list of essential items. We had no such list, only our empty stomachs to guide us.
The result was a cart filled with more snack foods than the best items to buy in bulk, such as paper towels, toilet paper, soap bars, Advil, and coffee beans.
Nevertheless, my wife and I had fun, believe it or not. For the first time, it seemed, in my entire adult life, I actually enjoyed going grocery shopping. The biggest reason, of course, is that I was with my wife. The second biggest reason, though, was the Costco hot dog I devoured after shopping for over an hour. The hot dog was so enticing that, as I walked back to our car after dropping off the cart, I nearly got hit by another car backing out of a spot.
Was it all worth the lines, crowded aisles, and possible broken leg?
Now we’re cooking.
