Outside Of A Small Circle Of Friends

One study concluded that on average, if more than 4 people witness an event (killing, rape …..); nobody will do anything. Each person will say to themselves "I don't have to get involved since there are other people here who can help." Read it for a real example:

Kitty Genovese, a 28 year old New York City woman, in the early morning of March 13, 1964, arrived home at about 3:15 a.m. and parked about 30 meters from her apartment's door. But before she could make the route, she was suddenly stabbed to death by a stalker.

Even though every year, 960,000 individuals get murdered; hers remains the most tragic because 38 "citizens" awakened by her cries for help watched as she was assaulted not once, but three times over a half hour period. Not only did they fail to come to her aid, they also failed to call the police for help. Vincent Mosely, her assailant, stabbed her several times, then left, only to return a few minutes later to cut her up a little more.

During Mosely's trial, witnesses made several statements, but one stands above the rest as a symbol of this tragic event and is the reason for its world-wide infamy: "We didn't want to get involved." No surprise to Mosely, for as he said: "I knew they wouldn't do anything - they never do."

I'm thinking, what we really are? Because it’s the cowards who don't count in battle; they are there, but not in it. What we really are? Phill Ochs is right:

Oh look outside the window, there's a woman being grabbed

They've dragged her to the bushes and now she's being stabbed

Maybe we should call the cops and try to stop the pain

But Monopoly is so much fun, I'd hate to blow the game

And I'm sure it wouldn't interest anybody

Outside of a small circle of friends

Oh there's a dirty paper using sex to make a sale

The Supreme Court was so upset; they sent him off to jail.

Maybe we should help the fiend and take away his fine.

But we're busy reading Playboy and the Sunday New York Times

And I'm sure it wouldn't interest anybody

Outside of a small circle of friends

Smoking marihuana is more fun than drinking beer,

But a friend of ours was captured and they gave him thirty years

Maybe we should raise our voices, ask somebody why

But demonstrations are a drag, besides we're much too high

And I'm sure it wouldn't interest anybody

Outside of a small circle of friends.

Courtesy: Trent A. Fisher