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.

[Bahbah]

Noonan has always been way too gooey for my taste.

You found just the right word for my reaction...gooey.

[beyond the sea]

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.

------

well said. Thanks.

[iconoclast]

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

Fear was not Ms. Smith's dominant emotion.

Is that so hard to appreciate?

[SuziQ]

Now, he may get the death penalty, and be executed, and he would well deserve it, but he will have some life for a time. And that is good, if he strives to make amends for what he did, and repent his sins.

She almost said as much to him in the course of their time together. She pointed out to him that what he had done was wrong, and that he'd have to face the consequences for it. If nothing else, THAT was a brave thing to say to a man who had killed 4 people in the previous 24 hours.

[cyborg]

eloquent post

[newheart]

"Now a corn-fed Hoosier."

Now there's a conversion that must have been difficult. ;-)