The Dog or the Stranger?

[MNDude]

Wow! I was actually surprised that many people feel that way. I'm curious, any Freepers here that would answer in favor of the dog?

[cripplecreek]

Gotta admit, the dog is my family.

[allmendream]

If it is my dog I am personally responsible for its safety and well being - and if it drowns it is my fault.

A stranger - if an adult - is responsible for his own safety - and he has nobody to blame but himself for getting in ‘over his head’.

Women and children I would save first. An adult male - sink or swim while I save my dog- THEN I will save him.

[KittenClaws]

Is the stranger wearing an Obama T-Shirt?

[MEGoody]

I have to be honest. In a pressure situation like that, where I was acting on gut instinct and not on logical thought, I'd probably save my dog.

Logically speaking, of course, a human's life is worth more than a dog's. However, when humans are operating in a crisis, we don't always behave logically.

[throwback]

What if the stranger was Obama? Now that's tough. My dog has way more character and integrity. I'd probably jump in and drown with my dog, and then tell the Lord that I just couldn't handle the dilemma.

[Roos_Girl]

Really tough to answer. Two of my dogs I helped whelp, the third is the dam.

What if the generic person was a child? Would the answer change?

[rockinqsranch]

Guaranteed the dog did NOT vote for Obama.

Ya don’t know about the “stranger”.

[Rockingham]

You save the person, not the dog, for the same reason that unborn children should be protected: with rare exceptions, human life has priority over other concerns.

[ConorMacNessa]

I would save Sir Winston before I would save a stranger. He's a vital member of our family.

[Responsibility2nd]

Link to the Denis Prager column in question.

Why Young Americans Can’t Think Morally (Moral standards have been replaced by feelings)

A very good read. Read it.

[rockinqsranch]

LOL I’m going to catch “H” for that one I just posted, because somebody is going to hit me on Democrat dogs voting, but OK. Guaranteed the FReeper’s dog didn’t vote for Obama.

[crazyhorse691]

More importantly, what is that stranger doing in the water with my dog?

[MNDude]

I admit, the dilemma would grow if the stranger just came from a car plastered with bumper stickers :)

[goldi]

It’s good to know he can help with the carpooling too.

[Responsibility2nd]

Wow! I was actually surprised that many people feel that way. I’m curious, any Freepers here that would answer in favor of the dog?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Heh heh. If you were surprised that many people felt that way, then based on FReeper responses...

How do you feel now?

[E. Pluribus Unum]

It's a theoretical question.

Nobody really knows what they'd do in a situation like this until they're in it.

[cripplecreek]

If my dog is drowning, there’s a pretty good chance its a direct result of my own actions.

[nuconvert]

Depends...if it was a child, I’d save the child.
I’d have a hard time deciding any other situation, and I think it would be decided only upon being put in that circumstance. Like they say, you never know how you’re going to react until you’re in the situation.

[flyingx]

“Saving the person serves me in no way”

And after all, it’s all about ME, isn’t it?