What Would You Do?

Have you heard of the ABCNews program What Would You Do? They set up public scenes with actors in different scenarios and see what unknowing bystanders would do in certain situations.

For example they've had 2 airline pilots drinking at the airport and talking about their upcoming flight - does anyone report that they've been drinking?

A woman at a bar is very intoxicated and a man is trying to lure her to his hotel room - does anyone step in and stop him from taking advantage of her?

Last night one of the scenarios involved an actor with Down syndrome playing the role of a bagger. Other actors, from a woman, to teenagers, to an intimidating-looking man, berate and harass the bagger by calling him names ('are you r*tarded?') saying how slow he is, he shouldn't be working there etc etc. Verbal abuse at its finest.

The cameras captured other customers in line and whether they came to his defense or not.

I'm sure scenarios like that do happen, but maybe I'm naive to think people aren't actually that rude, loud, obnoxious, disrespectful in a public setting like that. I can't imagine being in line at the grocery store and hear another adult verbally assault a bagger like these actors were doing. Not saying things like that don't happen; I just imagine it would be much more subtle and not so in your face as these actors were being.

It was interesting to see the reactions of the customers who, of course, didn't know these were actors. A few of them didn't say anything because they didn't want a confrontation ... but for the ones who did step in, they were awesome.

Some of my favorite quotes from these customers:

The lady who said "If that was my child I'd deck you!"

When the actor was complaining that people like that bagger shouldn't be hired another lady said, "He's got rights too."

Yet another lady to a teen "Are you kidding me? Cause if you're not I'm getting ready to punch you out."

The special ed teacher to the intimidating male actor "You are disgusting. How would you feel if that was your son. He's a person just like you and me. He's a person with feelings." The actor replied, "Yeah well they have places for r*tarded people" and she really let him have it, "They should have places for people like you that are rude and insensitive and cruel. Everyone deserves an education. Everyone deserves a job and every body deserves a chance in this life. And you should be ashamed of yourself." I wanted to clap after her fiery speech!

There was the guy who heard the verbal abuse while in the aisle, not even in line, and came all the way up to the cash register to tell the teen to get out of the store. Turns out he has a sister with Down syndrome. You could see the passion in his demeanor when confronted with the situation and later talking about his sister - he almost had me in tears. I imagine Lucas being like that.

One thing interesting to note was time and time again the females were the ones to speak up and come to the bagger's defense. Time and time again the males looked away, kept their head down, didn't say a word. I wonder what that means.

The only other male they showed who even said something was on his way out when he told the abuser, "You need to chill out bro."

Watching scenarios like this make you think about yourself and what you would do in different situations. My personality is more like the lady at the beginning who said she didn't want to get involved in a confrontation. I admit to that being like myself - I don't like to cause a scene or be in the middle of a public confrontation.

However, after having Kayla, if I ever find myself in a situation like that I'd like to think I will find my voice and give a forceful, passionate speech like the special ed teacher did.