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Now go do the right thing...


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I'm no big fan of Dr. Laura, however, she ends each radio show with "Now go do the right thing."

 

I'm mourning the realization that "doing the right thing" is no longer the default decision for most people. The mantra now seems to be "I'm going to do whatever is convenient, profitable, easiest, funnest, etc. at this moment in time, and I don't care about anyone else." Some recent examples from my life:

 

I am the victim of yet another uninsured driver. I was sideswiped, and had to chase the driver three blocks, flashing my lights before he would stop. Getting out of the car, he immediately blamed me for the accident. I called 911 and a cop was there in 10 minutes. The other driver lied about insurance coverage, and the cop never asked to see proof. He also never ran our licenses through the computer. Turns out the guy has no insurance, and has a rap sheet a mile long, including DUI, concealed weapons, discharging a firearm, susepended license, larceny, etc. The cop handed me a form with the other driver's info and said, "since you moved your car, I can't tell what happened, so y'all work it out. Good luck" No one, except me, did the right thing, and I'm screwed.

 

Trying to refinance my 2nd mortgage, we discovered that the first mortgage company had paid my real estate taxes to the wrong account. It took me 4 months to get it straight...phone calls and certified letters went unanswered. The city said, "it's your problem". Come to find out the "wrong account" was my MIL's house. She tried to pay her taxes, and the city promptly sent her check back saying it was already paid. So, knowing full well something was not right, she just keeps the money, hoping no one will notice, while my wife and I are pulling our hair out over this. The city never notified me that my taxes were delinquent, instead just slapping a tax lien on the property. No one "did the right thing."

 

I could write two more hours of examples. Am I the only one feeling this way??? I am really afraid for the society that my children will inherit.

 

 

 

 

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A few years ago I hit someone's car in a parking lot. I was in the process of writing a note when he came up. He was so flabbergasted that I was taking responsibility that he wouldn't file a claim.

 

What's even sadder is when wallets get stolen at summer camp and people say, "well, what do you expect?"

 

However, if the county told me that my taxes were paid, I wouldn't argue with them about it but I wouldn't cry when they said that there had been a mistake. :-)

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I'm sorry to hear of your run of bad luck. I don't know what part of the country you are in but I find most folks to be honorable citizens. Now and then there is a bad apple, but if you believe in karma things will certainly turn around for you. Stay cheerful.

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Scoutldr, we're working on our 4th uninsured motorist collision right now. That doesn't include the drunk that nearly killed my family. Needless to say, I sympathize with your frustration.

 

Years ago, my great Aunt, crippled and in her 70s, called the sheriff to report someone stealing her timber. The perp was caught and when the deputy brought him to her, all she told the deputy was, "You just hold him still while I beat hell out of him with my cane", heh, heh, I can still hear her voice, I really miss her.

 

Sometimes I feel the same, especially when I realize that 30% of every auto insurance premium goes to pay for uninsured motorists.

 

The right thing is what keeps the system going. The system keeps going because there are still enough of us who understand this and keep trying to do "the right thing". And, then, in these forums we have fun arguing about it, right?

 

The deputy knew what the right thing was. He paused a long time while the guy sweated over a potential beating from an irate old lady. Then he said, calmly, that he couldn't agree to do that but he would charge the thief with grand larceny. She'd already fumed off most of her temper so she agreed.

 

Me, this most recent uninsured motorist is going to take a beating at the hands of the law, I hope. If not, I still plan to try to do the right thing, knowing that it's the example I want my kids to see...and the boys in our unit. That, and I can sleep at night with a clear conscience.

And I still think that the majority of other people out there in the world are also decent folks, also trying to do the right thing. Otherwise why else would so many of us be here arguing about it? ;)

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This thread reads more like a soap opera, Come on you guys the world is a tough place and we all have to survive the ups and downs. So quit your whining and get on with it instead of crying the blues. To do the right thing would be to close this thread right now. We all have had accidents, uninsured as well but we move on instead of moaning and complaining, you should do the same scoutldr.

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With all the crime, violence, hatred, etc., in the world, I suppose I shouldn't be surprised by bad behavior in more mundane situations, but I still am. Not too long ago, an elderly driver bumped the rear of my car in an intersection. I followed him into a supermarket parking lot, and although my car wasn't damaged, I did point out to him that he had bumped me. He proceed to curse me, and to accuse me of backing up. I confess that I was really surprised.

 

Isn't it interesting how much of this kind of bad behavior involves automobiles?

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>>This thread reads more like a soap opera, Come on you guys the world is a tough place and we all have to survive the ups and downs. So quit your whining and get on with it instead of crying the blues. To do the right thing would be to close this thread right now. We all have had accidents, uninsured as well but we move on instead of moaning and complaining, you should do the same scoutldr.

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Parking lots are a fun place.

 

Recently I pulled into a 7-11 to grab a cup of joe. As I pulled in this fellow in a Suburban was attempting to pull out. He couldn't drive the thing and wound up having to pull back and forth three time to get the angle right. Had I not been there he'd have just pulled forward on the first try and gotten out. So what did he do? gave me the finger and cursed. How was I supposed to know that he couldn't drive his vehicle.

 

Over 30 years ago I was at the supermarket and had just gotten out of my car when a woman backed into it. I yelled and she ignored me. I blocked her way and she wanted to know what I wanted. I pointed out that she had just hit and dented my fender. Her response was "So? and drove off.

 

People have been avoiding the right thing for a long time.

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The old days - when the majority of folks were proud to care about their fellow man, and DID the right thing for all concerned

 

Today - when plenty of folks only care about themselves, and they cease to care if their fellow man even exists; they do most things only thinking about themselves

 

It's the world of "Me'ism" now - it sucks

 

I am sorry you caught the brunt of such actions scoutldr. Hopefully things will get better.

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Thanks, Joni. I didn't intend it to be "whining". Just an observation on the narcissistic society that we find ourselves in. Not sure what I did to evoke the nasty, uncharacteristic response from Mr. BadenP. Taking Beavah's advice, I will just assume that he's a well-intentioned fellow Scouter, who has good reasons for responding in such a rude, childish manner. I would buy him a cup of coffee...if I could. I'm even more amazed that the moderators let it stand.

 

I respectfully request that the thread be closed, so as not to inconvenience Mr. BadenP any further with my "whining". Good day to you all.

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