Does Courage Have a Price Tag?
Nanchong City, Sichuan Province, PRC, July 2002– Frenzied man stabs bus conductor to death with more than 20 passengers looking on. None lifted a hand to help the mortally wounded conductor defend himself. This incident, according to the China Daily (the government's English print newspaper), stirred the nation. How could more than 20 people stand idly by and do nothing but witness such a horrific crime?
The answer, writes Xiao Xin in the July 31st issue of the China Daily, is straightforward–”our society has not set up a system to encourage and financially help those who take action to fight against criminal acts.” Continuing, the author suggests that a “compensation mechanism for those brave enough to act should be created.” Why should someone risk injury or their life to save another if one's livelihood is endangered or one's family impoverished should a hero be maimed or killed?
How many dollars or yuans does it take to make a hero? Does courage have a price tag? Would compensation help people “understand the difference between right and wrong?” Apparently some Chinese think so.