December 10, 2023

Real world examples of bystander actions for or against
people, groups, and organizations.

You are always in control of the invitations you send to bystanders,
loyalty invitations or backlash invitations.

New examples are added at the bottom of each section.

 

Bystander Actions For…

Fairness

“A Nashville senior was banned from prom for a suit, so a local business stepped in”
Jaclyn Diaz
NPR
April 25, 2023

 

Job Opportunities

At an NBA playoff game, Nickleodeon CEO Geraldine Laybourne found herself seated next to Michael Ovitz, president of Walt Disney. She knew who he was but had not met him. Ovitz was at the game with his son Eric. Laybourne had a conversation with Eric. Six months later, Ovitz called Laybourne and asked her to be president of Disney/ABC Cable Networks. Laybourne accepted and became an even more powerful woman in broadcasting. Ovitz called Laybourne because of the conversation she had with Eric.
Harvey Mackay
1990, pages 143-144

Love

Free front row seats to a Prince concert
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Bystander Actions Against…

Businesses

This is a chit chat from the Chit Chatting For Career Conversations blog:

Dangerous Working Condition
August 2, 2024

As I was walking towards the grocery store, I passed a young man barely pushing 19 carts (I counted) towards the store. I asked him if he normally pushes that many carts.

“No. I’m only supposed to push 8.”

I asked him why he was pushing that many.

“Because we’re behind.”

I said I hoped he wouldn’t hurt himself.

I wrote a Google review for the store about the incident, saying that if I ever see it again, I will file a report with OSHA.

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Dangerous Drivers
August 27, 2024

I was driving east on a 4 lane divided highway. A semi truck with a trailer was driving west.

The truck suddenly made a U-turn in front of the few cars ahead of me. They had to brake to avoid slamming into the trailer.

Those cars moved into the left lane. The semi stayed in the right lane and exited at the next off ramp. Before it could exit, I got close enough to take a photograph with my cell phone.

As soon as I got home, I sent the photograph to the county Sheriff with an explanation.

“ok thanks for letting me know”

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Domestic Abuse

One bystander can enlist other bystanders to take action against the wrongdoer.

Scotty McCreery asked other members of the audience to:

“…let the cop know who hit the lady…”

“Country singer Scotty McCreery kicks fan out of concert for hitting a woman: ‘Definition of a coward’”
Brie Stimson
Fox News
August 28, 2024

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Terrorism

In 1998, terrorists bombed the U.S. Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya. U.S. FBI agents teamed up with Nairobi police officers to find the bombers.

A suspect was traced to the Ramadan Hotel. He stood out for a number of reasons:

He was an Arab in a Somali area, an area that Nairobi police avoided because it was dangerous.

He had no money, no travel documents, no luggage, but he did have new clothing.

He frequently used a pay phone, calling for money and documents.

The FBI / Nairobi police team was looking for “a guy who didn’t fit in,’ but they had no description or name.

Police members from the team went inside the Ramadan Hotel while FBI Special Agent Stephen Gaudin stayed in the car.

“All of a sudden, someone walks up to the car, his back to it like this, and I couldn’t see his face. He just leaned in the window and, like, ‘Listen, the guy that you’re looking for, he’s not in this hotel anymore. He’s now moved up to a hotel around the corner called the Iftin Lodge.’ He walked into the crowd and I never see him again.”

The police members of the team go into Iftin Lodge and come out with the Arab guy who didn’t fit in.

“Dress Rehearsal: The Rise of Al Qaeda”
FBI True
December 19, 2023
CBS Network

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© Paula M. Kramer, 2023
All rights reserved.
Last updated August 29, 2024.