Money Can’t Buy You Life, Love and Respect…

…but it can compensate for non-involvement or lack of compassion

I wasn’t going to write this blog message, because I would rather the pain was out of my mind and behind me, but as it turns out, the costs of living ethically in China and “doing the right thing” are beginning to take its toll on me, financially, physically and mentally.

So instead of bearing all the physical and financial costs myself, I’m letting the people in China who read this message to decide what, if anything, you want to do about it. Help me personally, or contribute to a specific project… the result is the same.. every little bit helps – doing nothing makes it worse, for everyone.

Only have money and no time? Contribute Here: but please CALL ME FIRST – ask for my phone number at PhilipMcMaster {a] gmail. com

Have little money and only time to contribute? Send me a message at  with your offer to help develop the World Sustainability Project and the Republic Of Conscience and a Chinese Kindness Video like the one at the end of these stories..

If these stories inspire you to help with the World Sustainability Project or the Republic Of Conscience enough that you want to contribute to helping people who are doing good things in the world thrive and not just survive… you can do something here

*UPDATE NOTE: I have removed some photos because people (and media reporters) ARE NOT READING AND UNDERSTANDING THE MEANING OF THE STORIES… yes, they are true, but I write them not to punish anyone, but for you to “look in the mirror” and see if you are Part Of the Problem or Part Of the Solution…  I don’t want vengeance, what we need are more citizens of the Republic Of Conscience. Some friends are saying they want to organize a “Pass the Torch” benefit event.. if you want to do something – don’t worry about me – help them grow the World Sustainability Project_\!/

On reflection, the last few weeks have been quite horrible for me in China.

The Losses

The first loss was my faith, innocence and some teeth, plus my naivete about doing what I feel is right and how we treat other humans… and the second loss was the sad fate of a young golden retriever I met and chose to care for after witnessing a dog’s life in China. Are the two connected? related? read on and decide for yourself…

 

Starting with the second, first.

I never “got” the dogs’ actual Chinese name, so I named him BUDe, inspired by the Bitcoin-related “DOGE” virtual currency and because the name came naturally to our relationship.

People who follow my Weixin met BUDe virtually through photos, but could not have known how much time, care and concern I enjoyed lavishing on him for the simple joy of seeing a wagging tail.

When we first met. he was a totally-out-of-control, crazy jumping up, tugging on the leash, “unintentionally-misbehaving” dog, and then after our short few months together, he became very well behaved indeed.. Walking like a Kennel Club star, learning all the standard commands, heeling, sitting at the curb, coming when called, fetching and retrieving balls and frisbees etc.

BUDe the Chinese Golden Retriever impressed people with his good manners and polite behaviour.

Although BUDe had a little courtyard to run around in and could enter into and lie down in a room with a hard cold floor (often colder than the outside), his living conditions were pretty lonely and desolate except on the occasional visit of his dog friends. No humans played with him except me.

 

I began to notice the dog as the winter became colder, sleeping outside with no mat, straw or shelter and fed by a caretaker who every morning dutifully gave him those cheap, tasteless white buns.

Witnessing this, I thought of all the dogs I had in Canada over my lifetime, and couldn’t bear to see an animal left alone all day like that on a poor diet. Often the water bowl was frozen over, (meaning he had no water to drink), the “food” was dissolved into an unappetizing white paste, or alternatively, a meal was a bowl of unappetizing, frozen white rice.

Often I would see the same buns a day later, uneaten and the paste untouched. Even the little runt dog friend who roamed freely and squeezed though the gate to play with BUDe never ate the buns or paste. It just remained in the bowl like wall stucco until BUDe was so hungry that I imagine he ate it out of boredom.

So I began to secretly “make” supplemental food –  making hot gravy with cooking oil, kibble dog food and eggs, stirred up hot in a Wok and finally mixed in with the crappy white buns to make them edible.

These were “between dinner” treats for BUDe, timed to ensure that the caretaker would not see that someone else was feeding the dog and stop his regular schedule.

A BONE of CONTENTION

Sometimes I’d buy a big leg bone from the butcher for BUDe to chew on.

I’m pretty sure he had never seen, let alone knew what to do with real meat hanging off the bone. Admittedly, delivering it was a bit of a disappointment for me at first,  because BUDe didn’t “jump up” with appreciation at my effort to get him such a special treat.

In my mind, I was recalling the joy my dogs always shared when I gave them an AUTHENTIC meat bone, and expected this Chinese born dog to react the same way. But BUDe had never had such a treat given to him before… so he didn’t understand or appreciate what I was doing for him.  However, dogs being dogs, Chinese or Canadian –  the treats were soon explored, tasted and chewed on.

Non-Possessive

However BUDe’s bones kept mysteriously disappearing. I would look around to find the bones and balls I would buy for him, and the balls would be found, but not the bones. I was “going out of my way” and investing significant effort to find a butcher and get these special bones for him, but I didn’t seem to be getting a return on my investment of time and care.

I missed the image of seeing him happily chewing on the bones and was hoping that at least he was jealously burying the treat I had given him and was saving it for later.

One day after bringing a new treat for BUDe, I saw the little runt dog lifting the bone that was half his size and heading for the exit. On my discovery and yell, he dropped it, and scooted off. I later felt ashamed when I realized that BUDe  was happy to share with his little friends, even if it meant he didn’t get to enjoy the gift I had gone to the trouble to provide for him alone.  It was my selfish desire to enjoy watching him chew and covet the bone, however BUDe was OK with non-possession and sharing.

 TREATS ALL AROUND

I also enjoyed buying bags of supplemental dry dog food, canned dog food, tasty training treats and doggie cookies to put some secret nutrition and fun in a dog’s life. I was spoiling him like an “empty nester”.

I started to get up early to deliver a timely dog supplement, a quick comb, a quick dog escape and return to the compound.

On my daily return an ever-wagging tail would signal clearly BUDe’s excitement at someone returning to care for him.

A longer duration coat-hair-combing-session and tummy scratch was about as good as it gets for a young Golden Retriever.

On weekends BUDe and I would escape to the park and forest (well, a Chinese park forest..) and if “caught” on returning, the caretaker would silently acknowledge (in relief, I guess) that things were back to normal, the dog had not run away or been stolen and he could go back to doing whatever it was he was doing.

 

 

In the end, I’m not sure who benefited more from our walks – BUDe or me… but we both became more disciplined… mindfulness for both of us.

 DOG WALKS MAN

Typical weekends were spent together on long walks.

BUDe was mostly very well behaved for a dog that had never had any kind of training or even special attention before. The only correction I ever saw directed toward the dog was a raised, threatening hand or broom stick, and the dogs reaction was to cower.. meaning that he had been hit in the past, and misunderstanding and correction for him meant pain.

My philosophy on dog training is different. Threat is the absolute last resort. Treats, rewards and positive reinforcement are 99% of the behavioural conditioning.

“Walking the dog” is a good example. The walk is not for you… it’s for the dog.

It’s not only for you to show off how well controlled and well behaved the dog is, a walk is also for the dog to do “dog” things.. the Dog Centered Mode – his “free time” to sniff, loiter, explore, leave his mark, communicate and goof around the bushes and poles we come across.

It’s also for the master. A walk is a chance to communicate with the companion dog, to learn his interests, idiosyncrasies, and experiment with the best ways of improving the relationship.

BUDe learned quickly how to shift smoothly from “Dog-centered mode” to Master-centered  “walk mode”, when I signaled that I wanted to get going, BUDe learned to stay “at heel” and performed like a well-trained, obedient working dog.

Around people, in public, we walked and performed like a well practiced team, showing off that a confident, obedient dog is a happy dog., The dog appeared to be very smart… but in truth it is mostly the intelligence of the master that is reflected in the dog. But when I look around at others with dogs, it sometimes seems to be the other way around.

When we were alone, out of public view, we let loose and goofed around,  sometimes playing on the ice in the park – catching the frisbee or a ball … pulling at branches, (but never pull on the leash, BUDe! ).

Testing me, BUDe sometimes ran a distance with the leash in his mouth, turning and testing my level of concern and control, turning and stopping a little farther away each time, finally being coaxed back with firm commands and treats. It was fun, and wonderful to explore the balance between control and freedom, just letting a dog be the naturally free and carefree animal he was.

DISAPPEARED

Then came the first incident of loss, the accident and assault and battery you’ll learn about below. I was away for a few days after that infamous day, and when I returned, BUDe was gone.

GONE

I went to his yard and the little room with the cardboard box shelter I had made for him. The box was stuffed with warm shavings for him to sleep on under a table frame. It was all torn to pieces and chewed up.

The bowls were full of frozen water. No BUDe.

At first I thought his owner had claimed him…

On a Wednesday (of course) I communicated with someone in the know… but she didn’t know, suggesting the dog was moved to another cage somewhere on the property.

Then she sent me a text: “Yes, the dog’s not there. I just called to him, he said the dog legs paralyzed is now in hospital treatment. I’m sorry to hear that.”

“What?” I replied. “Paralyzed??”

The last time I saw BUDe was on a Sunday, I hadn’t been outside the building since the assault… so I didn’t take him for his sacred walk that weekend,

I wasn’t in a very healthy state of mind… BUDe knew it, maybe he felt it. Maybe his legs absorbed my pain.

However it happened,  he fell ill, was unceremoniously removed in my absence to an “animal hospital” and I’ve never seen him again.

I presume he was euthanized (killed) because the costs of surgery/treatment were probably not worth it to the owner.

Nobody asked me what BUDe was worth, nobody seemed to care that much… and if they had,  it didn’t have anything to do with value, and everything to do with money.

Most people don’t know the magic about DOGS, that they absorb your pain, give you joy and love you for free.

R.I.P. BUDe

Teaching people to be humane to animals and to each other is an important step in the sustainable development of a Chinese Ecological Civilization.

“You can easily judge a person by how they treat those who cannot speak up for themselves or their rights”

If you are moved or inspired to support the World Sustainability Project or contribute to helping entities who are doing good things in the world to thrive and not just survive… you can do something here

Are you interested in helping with your time and skill? Help me create the “HumaneCoin” in the Republic Of Conscience … a Currency of Care in memory of BUDe.

– – – – – – \!/_(^_^)_\!/ – – – – – –

In the land where doing the RIGHT THING is dangerous.

CHINESE VERSION :

http://bbs.tianya.cn/post-worldlook-1072157-1.shtml
本文摘自Philip McMaster先生的博客，故事发生在北京郊区，2014年2月末的一个夜晚。

一个老外在中国的遭遇
（ 译／靡哲不愚）

几周之前在中国我经历了可怕的事情。在这片土地上，做你认为对的事情是非常危险的。
一个年青人被一辆轿车撞飞，我随后被那个肇事司机殴打，只是因为我想＂做对的事情＂。

几周之前，在一个北京郊外的晚上，我正沿着一条的漆黑的公路走路回家，忽然听到前面有轿车的撞击声，接着是玻璃碎落到地面的声音。我马上加快脚步朝前方跑去，想知道前面公路上到底发生了什么事情。

等我赶到现场，我看到一男一女正在拖拽一名受伤的身着蓝色夹克的年轻小伙儿，试图把小伙儿拖到路边。 我马上对他们喊：＂不要动，不要动＂。因为我注意到轿车的前挡风板已经完全凹陷损坏，伤者的鞋子被甩出十几米远，可见碰撞何等强烈，撞击力度多么大。我很担心这个年轻人的脖子和脊椎已经受伤，擅自拖拽伤者会对伤者造成二次伤害，所以请他们立即放手不要拖拽伤者。

但这对男女根本不听我的，甚至都没迟疑一下，继续使劲往路边拖拽伤者。一开始我还以为因为我说的是英语，他们听不懂，但随后马上意识到，即使我说中文也是同样无济于事，他们根本不理睬我，完全忽视了我的存在，此刻他们似乎只有一个想法：赶紧把伤者拖到路边，然后逃之夭夭。

当他们把伤者拖到路边后，伤者用手臂支撑着斜躺着，很明显他的意识是清醒的，他嘴里说着什么。他的腿看起来很糟糕，他的头部和手上都是血。我看到伤者的一条腿仍然伸在公路上，担心被再次碾压。肇事司机回到车跟前，慌乱地查看撞坏的车前挡。伤者被凉在路边，两个行凶者完全不去关注伤者的安危，却回到车跟前只查看自己的轿车撞成什么样子，我感到异常的愤怒。我是个摄影师，你们应该知道我会怎么做，当然是立刻掏出手机拍照，记录下这个悲惨场面。

这时我看到一辆公交车刚刚停到附近的一个公交站，正准备驶出。我想，公交车是国有的，公交司机是国营单位的雇员，他应该能联系到公交公司或交警，而且，公交司机也有责任照顾他的乘客的安全（虽然伤者不是他的乘客）。我赶紧跑过去，站在公交车前面。

公交车停下来，我对他大喊：＂请帮忙报警＂。公交车前面的不远处就是事故现场，公交车的大灯开着，司机肯定看到了前面路上的伤者和一地的碎玻璃。怕他听不懂，我用手比划着打电话的手势，又指指前方躺在路边的伤者。我就这样坚持站在公交车前方，期待司机或者上面的乘客能够打电话报警，做个公民应该做的事。 这位公交司机看起来很冷淡的样子，依然无动于衷，似乎表示：这关我何事？

意识到站在车前不起作用，我就跑到他身旁的车窗前继续向他呼救，可是，看到我跑到旁边来了，司机突然发动引擎，径直向前开去，穿过交通事故现场，最后消失在夜幕中。我很气愤，我无法相信周围的人为何如此无情和冷漠，面对伤者不肯付出举手之劳。

我看到那位妇女背对着受伤的年轻人在打电话，我很确信她不是打给警察的，似乎是打给他认识的什么人，一直小声地和电话那头讨论着。而他们也依然没有叫医院急救电话的意思。

此刻我该怎么办？把车牌号记下来！我记忆力不好，身上又没带纸和笔，所以，最好的办法就是拍照，然后交给警察，这样即使肇事者逃逸后警察也可以追踪到他们。我一生中一直在拍照，我知道什么东西应该及时拍下来。有了照片做证据，你可以据此掌握更多的真相。没有照片，你就不能准确地还原事情的真相，他们就可以歪曲事实，欺凌弱小。而照片可以给弱者更多的证据和力量。

所以我开始走到车后面拍照，光线太暗，我只好蹲下来靠近车牌拍照。＂嘭＂的一声，我的头部挨了一拳，我摔在地上，＂嘭＂，又是一拳打在我脸颊上，我挣扎着起来，肇事司机又想抢夺我的手机，我尽量躲避他不让他夺走我的手机。＂嘭＂＂嘭＂＂嘭＂，司机继续对我拳打脚踢，最后他把我推向公路边的水渠。

我继续被殴打，但我必须保住手机里的照片，这是证据。我是事故唯一的见证人，一个没有家庭的外国人，在漆黑的夜晚一个未知的地点，也无法及时打电话求救，而我还在继续被殴打着。

我忽然想起前两年中国新闻报导的一起交通事故，司机发现被撞伤的人还活着，就用刀把被撞的人刺死。而眼前这个暴徒会不会也要刺杀我呢？还是会把我推到水里淹死？想到此，我开始反击，用胳膊肘猛烈击打他的胸部，也许他意识到我开始还击了，他一把推开我，拉着那名妇女，飞快地跑回轿车上，然后开车疾驰而去。

受伤的年轻人静静地躺在路边，夜依然很黑，肇事司机和车辆已经不见了，没有路人，没有警察，只有受害者、我，和散落在路上的碎玻璃。
我陪他等在路边，试图安抚他的情绪。我希望能有过路的车辆停下来帮忙，有两三辆过路的轿车驶过，但都没停下来。

我把电话递给年轻人让他报警，或打给家人，他努力了半天，似乎电话没能打通。为了鼓励他，不让他昏睡过去，我给他看了车牌的照片。我在想刚才是不是电话根本没有拨出去，他只是顺势把电话拿在手上而已，我担心他的头部已经受伤。

过了几分钟，突然有两辆轿车朝事故现场的方向开过来，飞速地并排行驶，我忽然感觉事情不妙。我想起我过往游历世界各地的经历，尤其是在一些我不懂当地语言的国家，我去过一些冲突地区，去过巴西贫民区，去过犹太人地区，等等，在这些地方的各种历险经历培养了我的第六感，我可以根据周边环境和状况判断各种危险情况。随着轿车越驶越近，可以看到一辆车里有两个人，另一辆车有几个人无从得知。但他们的架势让人不寒而栗。我心想：肇事司机找人来复仇了，大事不好。我知道此刻自己应该怎么做，我伸手示意年轻人把电话给我。

我内心一个声音说：勇敢点，你可以战胜他们，他们不能伤害到你。你怎么忍心抛下一个受伤的人？而我内心另一个声音在说：勇敢并不是让你做蠢事，你要先保命，如果你死了，怎么还能帮助更多的人？那些家伙不会对受伤的年轻人怎么样的。

迟疑了片刻，我有点尴尬地对他说：＂你保护好自己的身体，我必须离开了＂。我必须保护自己不要再次受到暴徒的伤害，起身后我满怀内疚地回头看他，他对我喊着＂师傅，师傅＂，我却不得不说＂抱歉，抱歉＂。我拖着伤痛的身体尽快离开了现场。 显然，他也看到了疾驰而来的不速之客。此时，我觉得自己像个胆小鬼。

第二天，在医院，医生帮忙回拨了那个年轻人拨打的电话，原来男孩是打给她姐姐的。她姐姐在电话里表示非常感谢我对她弟弟的帮助，问我是否愿意把拍的照片传给她，她要以此为证据控告肇事司机。当然，我很乐意把照片提供给她。我请医生问她她弟弟伤势如何，万幸，被告知那个年轻人已经没有生命危险。

我很感谢医生和护士们的爱心，即使我没有足够的钱付医药费，他们也帮我进行了医治。虽然医生护士们都是好心人，但我真的不想再踏入医院半步。

白求恩的精神一直影响着我，他无私地医治各种伤员，无论是平民百姓，还是中国士兵，甚至日本士兵。我应该原谅殴打我的肇事司机，他也许没受过很好的教育，他的眼里只有自私和物质利益，也许在殴打我的时候，他考虑的是要赔偿多少钱，而不是勇于承担责任。他只是个缺少教育没有涵养的小人物而已。

然而，我不能原谅他周围的人，也许他周边社会的人影响了他，人生的全部就是追求私利和物质，除此以外，大脑空无一物。 父母们以不健康的方式教育孩子，不去培养内心，不遵守社会公德，而热衷于各种攀比。老师们更注重利益，而不是关心学生的成长。而学校或者政府对各种社会不好的现象视而不见，比如，谎言、欺骗、腐败、歧视、不公、怨恨、阶层分化、贫富分化、虐待动物、破坏自然，等等，很多人活着的意义就是索取物质和金钱。

我多年来一直致力于推广健康、幸福和可持续发展的一种生活方式（LOHHAS），向所有中国人分享如何才能获得一种可持续发展的生活方式。让我们忘记过去那些不好的事情，从现在起，希望朋友们行动起来，在每周三践行我的提议：微笑、吃素、拔掉电源。让我们一起讨论＂中国如何拯救世界＂。

无论你是愿意参与项目付出努力，还是奉献你的爱心捐赠，请大家继续支持世界可持续发展项目( World Sustainability Project )，让我们一起帮助人们学会＂生活＂，而不仅仅是＂活着＂。

*** *** *** ***
主人公简介：

Philip McMaster，中文名＂大龙＂，电视记录片白求恩的扮演者，加拿大MBA教授，社会问题研究者，致力于世界可持续发展研究，三指理念创始人，独立环保人士。Philip邮箱：PhilipMcMaster(a]gmail com

In the land where doing the RIGHT THING is dangerous.

A few days before BUDe’s disappearance, I was witness to a road accident.

A young man was hit and smashed through the front window of a car, and I was subsequently attacked and battered by the driver in my attempt to help and “do the right thing”.

In February, on a dark, tree-lined road in the North of Beijing, I was walking along the road and heard the crash of an accident and crunch of glass hitting the ground.

The moment I heard the crash, I started walking quickly toward the sound, and broke into a run when I realized what it was.

As I got closer I saw a man and a woman trying to move a young man in a bright blue ski jacket who was lying on the side of the road.

Seeing the completely smashed-in front windshield, I yelled to them to “wait”, “don’t move him”… thinking that if he had been hit with enough energy that his body smashed the windshield, his neck and spine might be smashed up too.

Evidence of the force of impact was one of his shoes was at least 10 meters further down the road, so the impact must have been sudden and powerful, I imagine knocking his leg like an underhanded catapult, sending his running shoe flying quite a distance down the white line.

But this husband/wife, boyfriend/girlfriend pair didn’t listen to me, or even slow down their efforts to pick him up and move him.

Initially I thought it was because I was speaking in English, but later realized it wouldn’t have mattered if I were speaking Chinese – this couple had one thing in mind – get this problem out of the way, and ignore me like a bad dream inside their nightmare.

 They dragged the young man away from the front right-hand side of their car to the edge of the road and propped him up on his arms.

It was clear he was conscious, he was speaking – but his leg looked bad and his head and hands were bloody.

My concern now was that the boys legs were still sticking out on the road.

Sure enough, the driver got back in his car, straining to look out and around the smashed-in windshield and pulled the car forward, driving through the broken glass on the road and narrowly missing running over the boy’s legs again.

Witnessing this selfish circus of fools enraged me, with nearly everything being done for the convenience and safety of the two able-bodied perpetrators and an almost complete disregard for the safety of the boy they had just hit and injured.

I’m a photographer, so what do you think I did? Of course I took out my mobile phone camera and started to record the scene.

Seeing a bus that had just restarted moving from a nearby stop, I ran forward to halt it in its tracks, thinking: “here’s an agent/employee of the state – a bus driver – someone in a command and control position, concerned with the safety of his vehicle on the public highway, his citizen passengers and those who might be his passengers”.

The bus didn’t run over me, it stopped as it should have, with an impressive accident scene  illuminated by broken glass sparkling in front of its headlights.

How naive, how very Canadian of me, to think that this bus driver, piloting this tank of a public service vehicle on a public road would have the courage and responsibility to comprehend my repeated and emphatic requests that he “CALL THE POLICE”.

With my fingers spread from my mouth to my ear symbolizing a telephone, standing on the broken glass, pointing at an evidently injured young man,  I remained in front of the bus as long as I could, imploring the driver (or maybe a passenger?) to step up and be a citizen.

The apathetic bus driver looked blankly ahead, avoiding my stare and kept shrugging his shoulders, as if to say… it’s not my problem, what can I do about it?

I realized this was a standoff I wasn’t going to win, and moved around to his open side window with the same plea… but once the foreign Lowai obstacle was out of the way, the bus surged ahead, illuminating the scene of damaged bodies and cars, crunching through the glass as it passed, disappearing into the black night.

By this point I was livid – I could not believe the apathy and insensitivity around me.

As I observed the young woman on the phone with her back to the victim, I was convinced that she was not chatting with the police the whole time, it seemed like instead she was making slightly complicated arrangements, involving a discussion in subdued tones to people she probably knew.

I began to take more photos.

I thought to myself, this injured kid is at the complete mercy of these two people, the driver and the woman  on a lonely dark stretch of road. They don’t appear to know each other because of the level of care being displayed… no one outside the accident scene is willing to help or inform the authorities, and I don’t believe that the authorities (Police) have been called by the driver and woman. They are ignoring and not making any effort to understand what I’m trying to help with as a witness.

POOR MEMORY

What can I do? I have a poor memory for things like license plate numbers etc. and nothing to write it down with. The best thing I can do is take photos, and let the authorities sort out the details when everyone is off the road and safe.

All my life I have taken photos when I knew it was “right” to capture what happened, as it was happening.

We may not know the truth behind the circumstances, but we see the results.

With photographic evidence, you can always argue later about the details not included in the photo, but you can’t say the photo doesn’t exist.

if you don’t take the photos at the time, you can’t accurately re-create the scene – those with more power and influence can distort the reality. They can bully, intimidate and dominate any discussion or negotiation.

Photographs give power to the weak and vulnerable.

I’ve been criticized for taking close-up gruesome photos of accidents in the jungles of Belize, I’ve been shot at in Mexico when following stories of armed conflict, I’ve been praised for taking close-up photos of rioters and looters during riots in Montreal, in the same city I’ve been beaten and put in the hospital for taking photos when people in power wanted me to stop. If a couple in China just smashed their car windshield by hitting a boy on a public road, and I am there with a camera, I don’t care what they want – I care about the victim and the consequences if I DON’T take photos!

So I began to snap some more photos of the scene with my phone camera, but the flash was weak, with an annoying delay and very slow.

It was very dark, so I had to get close, and shortly after I crouched down to photograph the license plate of the couple’s unidentified model of car (no make/model logo on the trunk lid) … BAM!

I almost fell down from a blow to the back of my head.

BAM! another blow to my jawbone/cheek from behind.

I staggered up and moved toward the center of the road, pulling my cameraphone out of the grasping reach of the driver..

BAM! BAM! more hits from behind and now he’s pushing me across the road toward the water-filled canal to get rid of me, once and for all.

STRANGER IN A STRANGE LAND

As I’m being assaulted on a dark road, the only “mobile” witness with photographic proof, a witness with no family in China, a communication barrier, an unknown location, and  glaring examples of not only the drivers’ unwillingness to help, in fact he’s just assaulted me!

 My mind quickly runs through the road accident killings and apathy I’ve heard about while living in China…

like the case of 21-year-old Yao Jiaxin, from Xi’an who knocked, Zhang Miao off her bike, and decided to kill her, stabbing her 8 times when he realized she was memorizing his license plate number, and two year old “Yue Yue”, run over by two vehicles in Foshan, squirming and bleeding for 7 minutes while at least 18 passers-by skirted around her little body, ignoring her. Five year old Yan Zhe of Zhejiang “crushed” by a minibus and despite the pleas of his mother, other drivers and passers-by refused to help, contributing to his dying on the way to hospital. The woman in Hangzhou who attempted a drowning suicide while local Chinese bystanders gathered at the edge of the lake to watch, and while a visiting Uruguayan, noticing no one was even trying to help, jumped in and saved the woman.

With my mind generating referenced scenarios that didn’t look promising: stabbed, run over, drowned, etc.,  and with this short but powerful stranger attacking and grappling me from behind, shoving me toward the water and punching me in the head, I decided to give the guy a strong elbow to somewhere in his chest / abdomen area, to signal that he was not going to get his way, and that I intended to fight back.

The elbow must have surprised him, (or hurt), because he immediately stopped and ran back to his car with his wife/girlfriend, they jumped into their windowless car and sped off.

The young man in the bright blue ski jacket and I were left alone on a dark street in silence.

No accident vehicle, no bus, no police. just the victim, me and a road full of broken glass.

Silence.

I waited with him in the quiet for around 15 or 20 minutes, standing on the road to keep the 2 or 3 cars that passed from running over his legs, and trying to be friendly and comforting without actually communicating much.

I gave him my mobile to call the police or anyone that he wanted. He made some confusing sounding call, and I didn’t think he actually got through to anyone.

To encourage him, and lift his spirits, I showed the photo of the cars’ license plate, he didn’t seem that impressed or focused on it. He didn’t appear to react the importance of what I had captured for him. The license plate number of the car that hit him.

I wondered if his handling of the phone had just been an automatic behaviour without actually accomplishing anything.

I was concerned about his head injuries.

I wanted to write the license plate number down for him and stick it in his pocket, but didn’t have pencil or paper.

A few more minutes passed, then suddenly two cars come “racing” back, out of tempo with normal traffic, occupying both sides of the 2 lane road.

“This does not look good” I said to myself, under my breath.

I thought of my travels around the world, in countries where I don’t speak the language, in conflict zones, favelas and ghettos, where although an outsider, I manage to recognize the environmental and non-verbal signals. Situations where my “sixth sense” has served me well and forewarned me of dangers beyond my knowledge or control.

These two cars behaving in this manner were ringing those alarm bells.

As they approached, I recognized the outlines of the two figures in the car in the wrong lane. I didn’t recognize the two or more bodies in the other car, but their coordinated approach was unnerving.

 “They’ve switched cars and they’re coming back with reinforcements”, I thought to myself.

Again I thought, “This does not look good”.

I knew what I had to do, but I didn’t want to admit it.

I held out my hand for the phone.

The young man thanked me and handed the phone back to me bloodstained.

Awkwardly and hesitantly I said “you stay safe and be careful, I’m so sorry, I’ve got to go” and turned to leave the scene as quickly as possible.

No doubt he sensed or saw the cars coming himself, and I’m guessing he knew better than me what fates could possibly befall him in his helpless state.

Guiltily, I looked back as the boy held up his arm and screamed after me Shifu! Shifu!, obviously wanting me to stay with him. “Sorry”, “Sorry” I said.

I felt like a coward.

My prideful mind was saying: “be brave, you can take on this challenge”, “they won’t dare do anything serious to you”, “what kind of a man leaves an injured, defenseless person at the mercy of people like this? coward.” while the other side of my conscience (maybe the reptilian brain) was battling back with: “Live to fight another day”, “be courageous but don’t be stupid”, “the odds are not in your favor”, “you can’t help anyone if you’re dead”.

Anyone who knows how stubborn and persistent I am will understand that all the above options were viable. Should I stay, or do I go?

SUSTAINABILITY TRIAGE

I resorted to asking myself “How am I living in the Spirit Of Bethune if I disregard my own ‘ISR‘ (Individual Social Responsibility) when modeling my behaviour?” What is the sustainable decision? … on what could possibly be a life and death situation, for one or both of us.

I leave him, he’s in danger, I’m safe.

I stay, we’re both in danger.

It’s not easy making life and death decisions, but disaster relief medical teams and emergency room doctors around the world do it all the time. They use an approach called TRIAGE… they’re practical decision-making frameworks designed to prioritize and achieve successful outcomes for the greater good.

In my creation of the World Sustainability Project, one of my driving concerns is that people around the world, and here in China, are making poor life decisions, losing their humanity and connection with the Earth and each other. The Republic Of Conscience, “A Place to Escape For Good” is the antidote – a place to rediscover our moral compass and practice our humanity, co-opting and redirecting our money-seeking materialism, escapism and denial and offering a decision-making refuge and moral base from which to do good.

Bethunology is our interpretation of a moral guide system for world citizens – based on volunteerism, understanding, compassion, competence and Individual Social Responsibility (ISR). Based loosely on the most famous surgeon in the world, Dr. Norman Bethune, Bethunology is inherently in the psyche of close to One Billion people in the world, as presented here at the famous Harbin Institute of Technology (HIT) in China.

 

FOR THE GREATER GOOD

The Bethunology “Sustainability Triage” protocol deals with our personal investment in people and situations, ie- success in moving from being POP (Part Of the Problem) to becoming POS (Part Of the Solution) by deciding where and how you’re going to invest your life energy – answering the question: what is the best ROI3 – Return On (your) Investment in 1. Society, 2. Environment and 3. Economy in any given situation.

Excellent Investment, High ROI3 – Priority Level 1 – In those for whom immediate intervention and care might make a shift from (POP) to (POS) supporting sustainable outcomes.

Good Investment, Normal ROI3 – Priority Level 2 – In those who are already (POS) or likely to become sustainable (POS), regardless of what additional information or assistance they receive.

Poor Investment, Low ROI3 – Priority Level 3 – Those who are likely to remain unsustainable (POP), regardless of what care, support and direction they receive.

As I processed the circumstances of the scenario through the Triage model, it was clear that this accident scene was a Priority Level 3 situation, saturated with problems and failures, a clear and demonstrated unwillingness and inability to work together and a refusal to become Part Of the Solution.

Aided by the logic of Sustainability Triage and my intuition, my self-preserving flight response finally won out.

I’m not proud of that, but in practical terms, I’m here to fight another day and support those who are shifting from POP to POS.

IN THE HOSPITAL

The next day at the hospital, the doctor offered to call back the number the boy had called on my phone. It turned out to be the boys’ sister.  She was very grateful for my assistance and asked if I would send the photos from my camera to her, especially the image of the license plate, which I did.

I must admit I was slightly disturbed even in the hospital at what the majority of the conversation appeared to be…. about money, and compensation for my injuries! I had to intervene during the call and ask specifically, “what is the condition of the young man who was hit?” that’s what this whole thing is about! … the response was that he was alive and OK – but that he did in fact have some head injury.

Apparently, the driver denied hitting the boy. I can’t say I saw him hit the boy, I only heard the sound and rushed to the scene, witnessing a smashed windscreen and an injured boy amongst broken glass on the road…  but I know he hit me, and broke some teeth. I’m still going to physiotherapy many times per week, one of my broken teeth in the lower jaw has finally been repaired, and there are more to be repaired.

I’M GRATEFUL

I’m very grateful and happy with the care and professionalism of the doctors, dentists and assistants at the hospital, but that being said, it’s costing me a lot of money I don’t have, and although grateful, I don’t really want to visit the hospital too much anymore.

 

I FORGIVE THE DRIVER

In the “Spirit” Of Bethune, who treated innocent civilians, Chinese defenders and Japanese soldiers equally during the Japanese War of Aggression, I forgive the driver who attacked me, as he was just another uncivilized, zombie idiot chasing the “Chinese Dream” of money and material wealth. To attack me, he was surely “out of his mind” – focusing only on himself and calculating how much MONEY the corrupt system might cause him to lose or be obligated to pay as a result of the accident.  I’m also grateful that he is an insignificant and common coward, otherwise he might have had the strength and determination to cause me more harm.

 

However, I don’t forgive the people around him, the people of modern day Chinese culture who influence him and millions of others like him to be “out of their minds” in the worship of money – the mothers and fathers who pressure their children in unhealthy ways, families who compete with their neighbours for bling, but trash and disrespect the commons,  the teachers who accept money to betray other students, institutions, officials and cultural leaders that model, encourage or turn a blind eye to immorality, lying, cheating, bribery, selfishness, short cuts, racism, elitism, class distinction, discrimination, social competitiveness, unfairness, resentment, disrespect for nature, the Earth and non-human life in their every attempt to gain more money and material status.

I’ve been trying to live and promote a Lifestyle Of Health,  Happiness And Sustainability (LOHHAS) sharing the Secret Of Sustainability with the Chinese people for years. Let’s Forgive and Forget the bad things of the past and present, and put this slow motion train wreck back on the tracks. From now on, let’s get people to take action: SMILE~CHANGE~UNPLUG every Wednesday  talk about “How China Saved the World” and make a video.

UPDATE: September 2014

The many months of Physical Therapy is not really improving my condition or ability to walk… it looks like I will need expensive spinal surgery. Watch this video made by some friends to learn about my condition.

 

 

BE A CITIZEN OF CONSCIENCE

If money is so important to you, imagine growing it by sharing, supporting and investing in people who are doing good things in the world … inspiring more safety and security through the World Sustainability Project or simply the satisfaction of helping people thrive and not just survive… you can do something here

 

TOGETHER – Let’s MAKE OUR OWN “CHINESE KINDNESS” VIDEO, CREATED IN CHINA similar to this one:

“Kindness Boomerang – Lifevest Inside”:

 Let me know if you want to help to be Part Of the Solution, or just say Hello_\!/ at PhilipMcMaster {a] gmail. com