Dying toddler and a good Samaritan

You may have heard about the tragic story of a 2-year-old girl being was struck twice by a small van and then ignored by 18 passers-by until a scrap collector came off her bike to help. This morning the girl died from her injuries. The tragic story is sparking discussion, soul searching, and outrage among students and Chinese. With the entire scene was captured by security cameras, the video has circulated around the internet prompting nonstop chatter. This is just the latest case of someone in distress being ignored by fellow Chinese.

Last week in my newspaper reading class, we discussed a Chinese Good Samaritan who patrols a bridge looking for those about to commit suicide. He helps those he doesn't know and has no relation to. Now students are searching for answers, searching for morals, and wondering what they would do in this situation.

It's prompted many discussions in my classes.

• Will the addition of a 'Good Samaritan' law promote Chinese morality?
• What is it that keeps so many Chinese from offering help to strangers? Is it indifference? Is it fear? Is it the risk of being accused of causing the problem? Is it an issue of insiders and outsiders?
• What would you do? Would you stop to help the little girl?

Read more about this tragedy.

From The Guardian:
Shocking Foshan incident reveals an unspoken illness at China's core
"Perhaps the most tragic thing is that this is hardly unique, just the latest and worst of a series of similar incidents where suffering has been greeted with indifference."

From China Daily:
Special: Girl's tragedy exposes trust crisis
"About 87 percent of the respondents to a recent survey said the reason they are unlikely to help an old person who has fallen in the street is that they want to avoid being blamed for the accident."

Law mulled to make aid compulsory
"At least 10 Party and government departments and organizations in Guangdong...have started discussions about punishing those who refuse to help people who clearly need it."