A different take (Peggy - I DON'T CARE if a murderer's expression changed) Flannery O'Connor Country

The Wall St. Journal ^ | 3/17/04 | Peggy Noonan

[paulat]

Flannery O'Connor Country The amazing story of how Ashley Smith stopped Brian Nichols's killing spree. Thursday, March 17, 2005 12:01 a.m. EST

Go to the link to see the pics Noonan found so inspiring.

[paulat]

The transcript was valuable...the gooey-eyed Noonan rapture is not. Ashley Smith is a hero.

[Captain Peter Blood]

I am not sure I find Ashley Smith a Hero in the real sense.
I still have to think back to when she had a great chance to call the cops and escape and I think most of us would have taken that chance rather than be alone with a monster like that again.

[paulat]

Oh, for pete's sake....

[struggle]

Ah, Flannery O'Connor. And a Bible salesman running off with a wooden leg.

[Captain Peter Blood]

Well would you stay if you had a good chance to escape or take your chances with a known killer of 4 people????

[what's up]

Noonan has always been way too gooey for my taste.

[paulat]

Well would you stay if you had a good chance to escape or take your chances with a known killer of 4 people????

You weren't there. She stopped him from killing again and got him in custody. She is a hero.

Tell me about one heroic thing you've EVER done. I really want to know.

[torchthemummy]

Thursday-Night-Quarterback you are Sir!

[martin_fierro]

the gooey-eyed Noonan rapture

Heh.

[Kay]

I like what Peggy said.

IMO, Ashley was the vessel. It was words of Truth that changed his heart and mind. More powerful than a two-edged sword.

[vetvetdoug]

Ashley had time to minister to Nichols, to appeal to purpose in life for serving God,and for him to atone for sins in this world. Hero? Heroes are given that name for brave deeds or faithful service. Ashley was faithful to God, did what a Christian should do, and then got in touch with the police. She probably saved a lot more people by not escaping and calming Nichols down and changing his mind set as to what his life will be in contrast to a shootout with police snipers.

[OkieDoke]

In this case, a bad man was good to find.

[drt1]

"The gooey-eyed Noonan rapture is not"

Very apt description. I cringe every time she rhapsodizes poetic about something. Shiver

[Rastus]

Me, too. I had to take an insulin shot any time I used to read her--and I don't even have diabetes. Shudder.

[paulat]

Ashley had time to minister to Nichols, to appeal to purpose in life for serving God,and for him to atone for sins in this world. Hero? Heroes are given that name for brave deeds or faithful service. Ashley was faithful to God, did what a Christian should do, and then got in touch with the police. She probably saved a lot more people by not escaping and calming Nichols down and changing his mind set as to what his life will be in contrast to a shootout with police snipers.

OMG..what a wonderful summation of what I was trying to say!

[texasflower]

People under stresses like that do NOT respond the same way as we do sitting here quietly at the end of the day at our computers.

She was under his control not just physically, but probably also in an emotional/survival level that we can't relate to.

Kind of like an abused wife that stays locked in the house when the husband is gone to work, because he tells her not to leave.

Short term intense traumas can cause the same sort of blind obedience for a time.

I don't necessarily believe the whole giving of herself sort of thing as it has been related to us, but then again, that might be what SHE needs to believe about it.

[dawn53]

I think the fact that she stayed with him was why she is a hero.

If she had run, he would have run.

And unfortunately, up until she called the police, they (the cops) weren't having any great success at finding the guy.

I think she had sensed by that point he wasn't going to hurt her, so why send him out on possibly another killing spree if she could negotiate with him.

I also think the fact that her husband had been a victim of a crime made her more aware of the possible impact this guy could have on still more people if she didn't aid in his capture.

[HairOfTheDog]

It's a fascinating story and I both understand and respect her story of how she handled it. Too many people get worked up at use of the word hero for anyone who carried the baby down any less than five flights of stairs in a burning building. So I wouldn't build her up to a high esteem that will only cause the naysayers to insult her in defense of a word. She's a fascinating woman, who took part in a remarkable event.

[Fenris6]

And he managed to do so without bashing Noonan. Imagine that...

[don-o]

That has been done to death on the board.