What's right?

Received this forward from linda:

> > A group of children were playing near two railway tracks, one still in
> > use while the other disused. Only one child played on the disused
> > track, the rest on the operational track.
> >
> > The train came, and you were just beside the track interchange. You
> > could make the train change its course to the disused track and saved
> > most of the
> > kids. However, that would also mean the lone child playing by the
> > disused
> > track would be sacrificed. Or would you rather let the train go its way?
> >
> > Let's take a pause to think what kind of decision we
> > could
> > make.............
> >
> > ..
> > ..
> > How do you decide?
> > ..
> > ..
> > No cheating...
> > ..
> > ..
> > ..
> > ..
> > What is your decision?
> > ..
> > ..
> > ..
> > Most people might choose to divert the course of the train,and
> > sacrifice only one child. You might think the same way, I guess.
> >
> > Exactly, I thought the same way initially because to save most of
> > the children at the expense of only one child was rational decision most
> > people would make, morally and emotionally. But, have you ever
> > thought that the child choosing to play on the disused track had in
> > fact made the right decision to play at a safe place? Evertheless,
> > he had to be sacrificed because of his ignorant friends who chose to
> > play where the danger was.
> >
> > This kind of dilemma happens around us everyday. In the office,
> > community, in politics and especially in a democratic society, the
> > minority is often sacrificed for the interest of the majority, no
> > matter how foolish or ignorant the majority are, and how
> > farsighted and knowledgeable the minority are. The child who
> > chose not to play with the rest on the operational track was
> > sidelined. And in the case he was sacrificed, no one would shed a tear
> > for him.
> >
> > The friend who forwarded me the story said he would not try to change
> > the
> > >course of the train because he believed that the kids playing on
> > >the
> > operational track should have known very well that track was still in
> > use
> > and that they should have run away if they heard the train's sirens.
> > If
> > the train was diverted, that lone child would definitely die because
> > he never thought the train could come over to that track!
> >
> > Moreover, that track was not in use probably because it was not safe.
> > If the train was diverted to the track, we could put the lives
> > of all passengers on board at stake! And in your attempt to save a
> > few kids by sacrificing one child, you might end up sacrificing
> > hundreds of people to save these few kids.
> >
> > While we are all aware that life is full of tough decisions that need to
> > be made,we may not realize that hasty decisions may not always be the
> > right one.

"Remember that what's right isn't always popular... and what's popular isn't always right."

Everybody makes mistakes, that's why they put erasers on pencils~ :)