[Humanity] Remember your Losses, Savor your Victories (Let's restore some Faith in Humanity)

[ObsidianJones_v1legacy]

It's very very easy to just be negative today. It's easy to write off everything to be the worst it ever was. People are at each other's throats. Government is selling the world down the river. Police Brutality is at an all time high.

But that's not the only story. And it's a disservice to life is we pretend that it is.

These stories are out there. Things that make you remember that not everyone is a horror waiting to happen. We need to remember what is good out there. We need to look at our 'enemies' and remember we're looking at humans.

So I'm asking you to reach beyond the labels and post some feel good stories.

FBI agent ends his career by reuniting with the infant he rescued at the start of it. [https://www.cnn.com/2019/08/11/us/fbi-retirement-reunion-infant-trnd/index.html]

FBI Special Agent Troy Sowers thought his retirement send-off would include donuts and coffee. He didn't expect to be reunited with the infant he rescued at the very beginning of his career two decades earlier.

In 1997, Sowers was a rookie agent in Washington state -- in the field only two months -- when he was put on a kidnapping case, according to CNN affiliate WATE.

A woman posing as a doctor had taken a 9-pound, 5-ounce baby boy from his mother's hospital room, and a 19-hour hunt for the newborn infant ensued, according to the FBI. Sowers found the baby abandoned in a cardboard box behind a convenience store.

It was a story Sowers told often over the next 22 years when he was looking back on the highlights of his career, he told WATE. When it came time for his retirement from the Knoxville bureau, the station said Sowers' daughters began looking for the baby their father pulled from the box.

At Sowers retirement ceremony on Friday, Assistant Special Agent in Charge Sherri Onks flipped through a highlight reel of his career. But instead of a picture of the baby from the box, out walked US Marine Cpl. Stewart Rembert, according to the FBI.

Rembert wanted to thank the man who saved his life, and Sowers got to hear about the life he saved. One that included a childhood with five brothers and sisters, high school years in the drum line and the Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps and three years in the Marine Corps, the FBI said.

"I was excited to meet the man who saved my life," said Rembert. "I was happy to tell him that I'm living a good life, and I'm going to continue living a good life. His efforts that day, and all of his efforts since, made a difference."

"I'm proud of anybody that serves others above themselves," said Sowers. "The fact that he is now doing that makes that case even more special."

This is everything I want in the world. We need to remember that with the Brutalities, there are people like Special Agent Sowers who does their job in a way that produces Marine Cpl. Rembert. That kindness and a job well done can have lasting effects for years to come.

Enjoy your retirement, Special Agent Sowers. Let the life that you saved with Marine Cpl. Rembert and countless others bring you a comfortable ease during your time with your family.

To us Escapists... labels down, Party Lines Erased. Let's find people who are doing good for the world to remind us that we can still do this if we all try.

 

[Leg End]

Good breath of fresh air. I have only one right now off the top of my head.

Danny Trejo helps to get a baby out of an overturned vehicle.

Alas, it wasn't quite as direct since he's a big dude and couldn't quite get to the kid, which is thankfully where a young woman swung on by and wormed her way in to dig out the little one. Fucking Machete Danny proceeds to entertain the young one while emergency services swoop in and rip the grandmother from the vehicle. Dude is a great human being in general and helps people avoid the life he once had, having done his fair share of sketchy shit when he was young. Godspeed Danny.

 

[CrazyGirl17]

That's easy - the Christmas Truce of 1914: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_truce

Maybe it didn't make much of a difference during World War I, but it certainly shows how even in war, people can still show signs of humanity.


Also, this:
"Don't be afraid to be a fool. Remember, you cannot be both young and wise. Young people who pretend to be wise to the ways of the world are mostly just cynics. Cynicism masquerades as wisdom, but it is the farthest thing from it. Because cynics don't learn anything. Because cynicism is a self-imposed blindness, a rejection of the world because we are afraid it will hurt us or disappoint us. Cynics always say no. But saying yes begins things. Saying yes is how things grow. Saying yes leads to knowledge. 'Yes' is for young people. So for as long as you have the strength to, say yes."
-Steven Colbert

 

[Hawki]

That's easy - the Christmas Truce of 1914:

Ah yes, a truce that happened over 100 years ago, in the War to End All Wars, that ended nothing, and can be argued to be part of the same overall conflict that led to WWII, which was the most devastating conflict in human history.

In other words, need something more recent to make me believe that we have a chance of surviving the next century, heck, even beyond 2050 at this point.

 

[CrazyGirl17]

That's easy - the Christmas Truce of 1914:

Ah yes, a truce that happened over 100 years ago, in the War to End All Wars, that ended nothing, and can be argued to be part of the same overall conflict that led to WWII, which was the most devastating conflict in human history.

In other words, need something more recent to make me believe that we have a chance of surviving the next century, heck, even beyond 2050 at this point.

Hey hey hey! This is a positivity thread, we'll have none of that talk here!

...sorry, I'm just sick and tired of all the shit going on in reality and just want to enjoy something cheerful for once...b

Like this, equal parts heartWarming, awesome, and hilarious:
https://m.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=10150122373449777
https://m.facebook.com/notes/paz/let-them-eat-cake/10150126218284777

Basically, the guy managed to get into Paris Hilton's birthday party, made off with a cake, and gave it to the homeless! Top that!

 

[Lil devils x_v1legacy]

This man on crutches who had cracked his hip earlier in the day climbed to the 15th floor on the exterior of the building like he thought he was Spiderman or something to make sure his bedridden mother was safe during a fire in her building after they said the elevators weren't working:

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- A man seen scaling a West Philadelphia apartment building during a fire spoke exclusively to Action News describing how he would stop at nothing to reach his mother trapped on the 15th floor.

"They said the elevators are not working. I said, 'No problem. I'll take the steps. I just want to make sure my mother- my mother is sick, she's bed-ridden. So I need to get up there," Jermaine said. "They were like 'we can't let you in.' I took it upon myself because that's my mother. There's no limits. That's my mother."

Earlier that day, Jermaine fell and cracked his hip on a set of stairs. His crutches sat next to him on the couch as he was being interviewed by Action News.

Despite his injuries, adrenaline took over. Jermaine started to scale the fenced-in balconies of the building, with wire cutters in hand. He was familiar with the layout of the complex because he had lived there in the past.

"When I grabbed a gate, at the top of the gate, there was a ledge. Then I could step on top of the ledge and reach up to the other gate, and keep climbing my way up," Jermaine said.

He did anything he could just to get to his mother.

"All for my mom's safety, period. I wasn't worried about mine at all. She can't get out of the bed or walk around so if there's a fire she needs help out," he said.

He made it all the way to his mom's balcony. Once there, Shelia saw her son outside her 15th floor apartment and assured him she was doing OK. She told him the fire was contained.

Jermaine said his mother did not yell at him for climbing up 15 stories, but, "She was more shocked. She's not surprised by the things that I do for her. She knows I'll go over and beyond for her."

Then just as quickly as he got up, he scaled back down the building. When he got close to ground level, he was sure he'd be arrested. But an understanding officer let Jermaine go.

"He told me if I didn't leave I was going straight to jail. Because that was his job. But, he actually did cut me a break. He understood the circumstances, he knew - when your adrenaline is pumping, and your mom is up there, you thinking she's dying - you'd do anything you can," Jermaine said.

Jermaine's mother made it out safely, as did many residents. Four civilians and three firefighters were treated for smoke inhalation.

Jermaine said he actually did once apply to be a firefighter. He never heard anything back.

Interview with Jermaine and video of him on the building here:

https://6abc.com/man-speaks-out-after-climbing-19-story-building-during-fire/5404974/

 

[Casual Shinji]

A mother duck near my house actually managed to raise 7 ducklings to adulthood. And that's fucking rare since those ducklings usually start off at 12 or 11 and then get picked off or die by neglect until there's maybe 3 left within a week. So yeah, kudos to you mama duck.

It's funny actually because just recently I saw a couple of jackdaws standing around this duck family, obviously recognizing these were still ducklings a.k.a. food, but they were the same size by that point so they couldn't do anything exept stare at them confused.

EDIT. Oh wait, it's supposed to be faith in humanity.. Ah fuck it!

 

[Lil devils x_v1legacy]

This man moved a homeless couple into one of his mansions:

After 10 years of living on the streets in Oakland, California, Greg Dunston and Marie Mckinzie have a new normal thanks to a generous Bay Area homeowner who wanted to improve their lives and share the message that homelessness is not "contagious."
The pair now live in a $4 million mansion in the upper-class East Bay neighborhood of Piedmont with Terry McGrath, who was determined to commit a simple act of kindness after a story was published about them in the San Francisco Chronicle.

McGrath offered the couple his in-law unit where his own children grew up and other relatives had previously lived and reached out to the Piedmont chief of police, Jeremy Bowers.

"There was no decision, there was no thought, there was no judgement. I was just like 'this is done,'" Taylor recalled. "I didn't vet them. These are human beings and they're not serial killers. They want to get in out of the weather. They want a roof over their head. They want to be warm."

"His email was very matter of fact," Chief Bowers said. "[Terry] let me know he was opening his home to some folks."

And once 911 calls started to come in from neighbors, the officers had already been counseled on how to handle it. He added that if the calls had been about a white couple at the house, the officers would have responded the same way.
Taylor said that Piedmont's residents are 74 percent white, 18 percent Asian and less than 2 percent black.
"You have two black people sitting on the steps, people are driving by, you get homeowners looking out the window. That is unheard of in Piedmont," he said.
McGrath said he never got calls about previous tenants that included an intern.
"I got a call at 9:30 at night on my cellphone -- I thought she was calling about organizing the neighborhood summer block party," McGrath said of one of the first responses. "I realized when she mentioned the word 'situation' that she was referencing Marie and Greg. And I said, 'What situation?' Are they vandalizing cars? Are they burglarizing homes?'"
He continued, "I just said, 'This is one of the most offensive conversations I've ever had.'"
Despite the complaints from a few neighbors, McGrath said it was a simple decision to get closer to the problem that he thinks many other wealthy people avoid.
"Our natural tendency is to move away from that kind of pain," he said. "That's why we avert our eyes. That's why they just become part of the background, part of of the wallpaper and it's easier to just move past it."

Taylor said a lot of his own coverage has centered on how people view homelessness.
"In fact, many of us choose not to see it. We've become numb to this despair and the plight of others who are obviously suffering," the SF Chronicle reporter explained.

"Here's a mayor in the most liberal city arguably probably in the United States, in the honeymoon phase of her mayoral term and she's getting shouted down because [she] wants to build affordable housing in the neighborhoods," he said. "It's unconscionable -- homeless is not contagious."

He added that residents want homeless issues handled "but they don't want it handled in their neighborhoods."
"It's not going to go away because you don't want to see it," McGrath said.
Although he knows his own efforts to fight homelessness is not a universal solution, McGrath felt like it could inspire others to not look away from the problem.

McGrath wants Dunston and Mckinzie to get back on their feet and find jobs but there's no timetable for them to leave his home.
"They're like family. There's no way I'm going to let them go back to the street," he said. "Most people who know me well know it's easy to start and it's hard to finish. And I'm never not going to finish."

https://abcnews.go.com/US/east-bay-resident-opened-4m-home-heart-homeless/story?id=63908137

Of course this is having to get over the fact that the current system forces people into homelessness to begin with and his neighbors making asses of themselves about it, it is good of him to make it so at least this one couple will not spend their days on the street anymore. Just imagine if everyone capable just helped one or two other people how many problems would actually be solved. It would be better though if no one was ever forced to ask for help in the first place though. People should be helped without them ever being put into a position where they would need to ask.

 

[Lil devils x_v1legacy]

Here is another one:
Neighbors form Human chain to protect man and his son from being taken by ICE:

Residents in Hermitage, Tennessee, formed a human chain around their neighbor's van to help protect him from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents who were trying to take him into custody.

The man was sitting in his van with his 12-year-old son when an ICE vehicle blocked him in his driveway, CBS affiliate WTVF-TV reports. With no way out, the man and his son sat in the car for hours, resulting in a standoff with ICE agents who did not have legal authority to remove them by force.
Neighbors began to check on the man and his son as they sat in the driveway. "We made sure they had water, they had food, we put gas back in the vehicle when they were getting low just to make sure they were OK," neighbor Felishadae Young told WTVF-TV. A crowd gathered and several people videotaped the standoff on their phones.

After four hours, neighbors decided to band together and form a human chain around the van, hoping to protect the man and son when they ran inside their house.
ICE agents with administrative warrants can detain someone, but they cannot forcibly remove someone from their home or vehicle, WTVF-TV reports. Because of this, the neighbors' human chain would not be considered an obstruction of justice.

During the ordeal, a local lawyer was contacted and came to the scene. "There were two immigration officials sort of bullying a family inside of their own vehicle, telling them that they had an administrative warrant, which isn't the same thing as a judicial warrant, and trying to harass them and fear them into coming out," the lawyer, Daniel Ayoadeyoon, said.

Metro Nashville police officers were also present at the scene, but the department said they were there as "peacekeepers" and were not assisting in the ICE operation.

The ICE agents eventually left, but neighbors believe they will be back. If they do return, the neighbors said they will once again do everything in their power to support their neighbors. "I know they're gonna come back, and when they come back, we're coming back," Young said.
"I could see if these people were bad criminals, but they're not, they're just trying to provide for their kids," neighbor Stacey Farley told WTVF-TV. "The family don't bother nobody, they work every day, they come home, the kids jump on their trampoline, it's just a community."

Then the local sheriff let ICE know that they would not be housing ICE detainees in their jail or taking part in ICE activity:

Nashville Mayor David Briley said in a statement that it is his job to keep people in the city safe.
"Our police officers do not actively participate in immigration enforcement efforts and only serve as peacekeepers. The officers were at the incident today to keep neighbors safe and secure a perimeter," the statement read. "I am keenly aware that this type of activity by our federal government stokes fear and distrust in our most vulnerable communities, which is why we do not use our local resources to enforce ICE orders."

Davidson County Sheriff Daron Hall said he wants it known that his office will not be taking part in ICE agent activity in Nashville.
"I notified ICE that we would no longer house anyone for what would be considered an 'ICE Purpose' only, they must be a local criminally active person before we would house them," Hall said, according to WTVF-TV.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/nashville-neighbors-form-human-chain-to-protect-father-as-ice-tries-to-bring-him-into-custody/

I know that it doesn't keep them safe forever, but at least hopefully it buys them some time. What people have been going through has been heartbreaking, it is good that there are at least some communities unwilling to turn a blind eye and actually step up to help keep these families safe in this very distressing time. I hope more step up to help these families, the more who do step up and help, the less families get destroyed. If most the people stand up to help them, then this will be forced to be stopped. So many think it isn't their problem, but these people chose to make it their problem and do something to actually help. In a time when we are made to feel helpless, it is good to see that there may be little things that the average person can do that can make a difference for people in such difficult situations.

Even if it is just laughing and booing a jack ass out of the room for protesting people providing sanctuary to those desperate to save their families from being destroyed:
Every little bit helps.

 

[Palindromemordnilap_v1legacy]

Even if it is just laughing and booing a jack ass out of the room for protesting people providing sanctuary to those desperate to save their families from being destroyed:
Every little bit helps.

I've always liked the fact that the guy is wearing green; the colour theory opposite to red, the MAGA devotee's colour of choice

 

[Baffle]

A mother duck near my house actually managed to raise 7 ducklings to adulthood. And that's fucking rare since those ducklings usually start off at 12 or 11 and then get picked off or die by neglect until there's maybe 3 left within a week. So yeah, kudos to you mama duck.

It's funny actually because just recently I saw a couple of jackdaws standing around this duck family, obviously recognizing these were still ducklings a.k.a. food, but they were the same size by that point so they couldn't do anything exept stare at them confused.

EDIT. Oh wait, it's supposed to be faith in humanity.. Ah fuck it!

I think we should include animals stories because it'll be miles easier for find nice ones.

 

[CrazyGirl17]

Let's keep this thread going, shall we?

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=fTm_D3BmotU

 

[CrazyGirl17]

http://www.sfdebris.com/videos/animation/supermanvstheelite.php

This is something I needed to hear, especially these days... in both reality and with current DC comics.

 

[ObsidianJones_v1legacy]

Remember that we might like to Frag, but gamers also love helping kids

Gamers Unite to Raise Nearly $50,000 for Your Children?s Hospital [https://goodbear.ca/gamers-unite-to-raise-nearly-50000-for-your-childrens-hospital/].

You guys make me proud.

 

[Baffle]

The bystander effect isn't as bad as you might think: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/world-us-canada-49339258/is-the-bystander-effect-a-myth

 

[davidmc1158_v1legacy]

Wanted to put this one here. I think we can far too easily forget that tragedy can also bring out the best in us.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-49380041

 

[ObsidianJones_v1legacy]

Wanted to put this one here. I think we can far too easily forget that tragedy can also bring out the best in us.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-49380041

This was perfect. Honestly thank you for sharing this.

 

[Fieldy409_v1legacy]

Ever read about the man with the golden arm?

https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2018/05/14/611074956/australias-man-with-the-golden-arm-retires-after-saving-2-4-million-babies

He saved 2.4 million babies because of his rare blood being donated. You should all consider giving blood if you can, its a resource that is always sorely needed.

 

[ObsidianJones_v1legacy]

From Fieldy's macro example to this micro [https://www-m.cnn.com/2019/08/18/us/virgin-islands-dock-rescue-trnd/index.html?r=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2F] example, the selflessness of people giving of their lives for others is always heartening.

Two entertainers dive in 40 feet of water to save a woman in a wheelchair who fell in.

Everyday heroes.

 

[ObsidianJones_v1legacy]

Boy who gave up Disney trip money for Hurricane Dorian evacuees surprised with vacation [https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/family/story/boy-gave-disney-trip-money-hurricane-dorian-evacuees-65485923]

A 7-year-old who gave up a Disney vacation to feed victims of Hurricane Dorian was recently surprised with a trip to the most magical place on earth.

Jermaine Bell received the gift, paid for by The Walt Disney Co., on "Good Morning America" after he had helped feed about 100 people.

Jermaine saved up for two years and raised about $100 in hopes he and his family could visit Disney World. Instead, he used the money to buy water, chips and hot dogs for evacuees.

"When people were hungry I wanted them to have something to eat," Jermaine told "GMA."

Thank you, Science and Mysticism... which ever of you made this happen. Thank you for the restoration of Faith from one little selfless boy who saw something wrong and gave of himself.