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From Yahoo News:
Family members said 58-year-old bus driver Jim Moffett and another man were helping two elderly women cross a busy Denver street in a snowstorm when he was hit Friday night.
Moffett suffered bleeding in the brain, broken bones, a dislocated shoulder and a possible ruptured spleen. He was in serious but stable condition Wednesday.
The Colorado State Patrol issued the citation. Trooper Ryan Sullivan said that despite Moffett’s intentions, jaywalking contributed to the accident.
Moffett had been driving his bus when the two women got off. In the interest of safety, he got out and, together with another passenger, helped the ladies cross.
Moffett’s stepson, Ken McDonald, said the driver of the pickup plowed into his stepfather, but not before Moffett pushed the two women out of the way.
When he awoke in intensive care, he learned of the ticket. “His reaction was dazed and confused. I was a little angry,” said McDonald.
The other man also was cited for jaywalking, while the pickup driver was cited with careless driving that led to injury. Sullivan said the two elderly women haven’t been cited but the investigation is ongoing.
I think this is a good sign. If they are punishing this type of crime per the letter of the law, it must mean that all serious crime is punished justly as well. They must have an excellent justice system out in Denver.
Just as a side point, you should know the origin of the term “Good Samaritan” before you use it. It’s actually a snide insult to Jews (although, granted, people don’t mean it that way when they use it today).
It’s part of a parable told in the Christian Bible (Luke 10). A man is beaten up on the road. A kohen passes him by and does nothing. So does a Levi. Next a Samaritan (note, not an Israelite) passes by, takes care of the guy, tends to his wounds and takes care of the guy.
It should be pointed out that the Jewish Encyclopedia states that the parable may have been changed (i.e. that the story originally did say “Israelite”) but that it was later changed to “Samaritan” to have an anti-Jewish feel.
The Wolf (who wonders if this is going to get published, although there was no other way to make the point other than to reference the Christian Bible).
The Samaritans are the Kusim discussed in the Gemorah and elsewhere. They made lots of trouble for Klal Yisroel.
Wolfish Musings,
I was vaguely aware of the origin of the phrase, but didn’t realize the characters in the parable were a Kohen & Levi. That structure does suggest the rescuer was probably an Israelite, but that the parable was changed when the Jews didn’t convert as hoped.
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