Which side are you on?

But first, it has been a LONG time since a post, my apologies to all my adoring fans. :-|

The wife and I finally watched Valkyrie last night, and I have to say we were pleasantly surprised.  What struck me most about it was that, in the movie, the failed coup that Stauffenberg had a feeling akin to the American Revolution, again, in the movie.

This got me thinking, what side would I be on? I think most people would knee jerk say that they would be on the revolt side, but how many American’s today have no interest or idea with what's going on right now? Think of this hypothetical - if 30% of the German population was disinterested in politics, and 15% of the 30 had only heard rumors and half of those people chose not to believe those rumors. That is over 20% of the population coming to a very rational decision of supporting genocide that probably wouldn’t if they knew the full truth.

This is very similar to the Clerks assessment of what Luke Skywalker really did when he blew up the Death Star the second time.  There were a lot of blue collar guys on there, construction workers, janitors, support staff – guys just trying to get a pay check.

Would you would be principled enough to join the resistance? Or smart enough to not be sucked in to mass hysteria? Or brave enough to risk your life to resist? Those are a lot of hurdles to get over when you’re living in the moment, regardless of how terrible the atrocities are.

But Nazi Germany is easy compared to the following question: What side would you have been on in the American Revolution - the Colonials or the Torys? Again, typical reactions, but think about it, are you saying what you wish or hope you would be? That question is harder to answer. 

It's the same thing I think about when I watch 20/20's "What Would You Do" segments. I assume these are designed to make you think, but isn't that cheating? Isn't it the people who do things with integrity that we celebrate? So yes, think about the answer, but be honest with yourself, and remember you're not thinking of these ex ante.