Inside the Theatre

[Matt Macoubrie]

As a social science historian, I would like to hear some opinions about the theatre that night concerning the bystander effect? Do you think that no one reacted quicker because they were hoping someone else would, or that they were confused and had no clue what was going on? Also, did it ever occur to those in attendance to shoot Booth as he was leaving the stage, or was Booth's appearance to short and surprising for people to draw their weapons?

Give me your thoughts?

[J. Beckert]

I think someone stated Booth fired the shot and was out of the theater in under 30 seconds. With the confusion and his hasty exit, I don't think there was time for anyone to react. Major Stewart actually got up on the stage and chased Booth. His reaction was the fastest and even he came up short and he was near the front. It was a complete shock to all who were there, I believe.

[RJNorton]

I second what Joe said. I think it all happened too quickly.

[Hess1865]

It happened so fast that no one really knew what was going on.

[LincolnMan]

I agree with the others. The theater-goers were watching the action on stage. They had no clue as to what they heard and saw at first. They weren't even sure what actually had happened. I think it all took place so fast that shooting Booth was a very slim possibility.

[MaddieM]

(01-22-2013 03:37 PM)JWB1865 Wrote:  As a social science historian, I would like to hear some opinions about the theatre that night concerning the bystander effect? Do you think that no one reacted quicker because they were hoping someone else would, or that they were confused and had no clue what was going on? Also, did it ever occur to those in attendance to shoot Booth as he was leaving the stage, or was Booth's appearance to short and surprising for people to draw their weapons?

Give me your thoughts?

I think it's just human nature... for some reason we seem to pause and assess a situation before plunging in. At least most people do. I was witness to a hit and run...the guy was dragged 50 yards beneath a van, along a really busy high street, filled with hundreds of people. I was the first one to him..and my response was almost immediate, but nobody else did...they just stood there and watched. He was still alive. It was only after I made that initial move, that others followed. I've always wondered about that. People just standing and gawping at this poor guy. Only about 6 of us went over to see if he was alright.

[BettyO]

OMG - how horrid, Maddie!

I hope this poor guy made it OK - thanks to You!! Yes, people seem to be paralyzed and do nothing until one brave soul pitches in!

Bless you!

[Laurie Verge]

And because this all occurred in the middle of a stage play, the audience had to be even more confused as to what was going on.

[RJNorton]

I would think one of the folks who had the best chance (in theory, anyway) to do something was Harry Hawk, but quoting from American Brutus, "he (JWB) dashed straight toward Hawk, who turned and fled in terror."

[Matt Macoubrie]

I would agree with everyone that it was a small window of time for people to react, but the bystander effect is present in your case Maddie, it is weird about how these things happen. The typical case that I hear is the one about the woman being raped in NYC. Though all her neighbors could hear and see what was happening, no one called in because everyone thought that the other person had called. She ended up dying. In Lincoln's case, he is lucky that such a brave 23-year old was able to tend to him until his death the next morning. I felt bad for Charles Leale!

[wsanto]

(01-23-2013 08:05 AM)MaddieM Wrote:  I think it's just human nature... for some reason we seem to pause and assess a situation before plunging in. At least most people do. I was witness to a hit and run...the guy was dragged 50 yards beneath a van, along a really busy high street, filled with hundreds of people. I was the first one to him..and my response was almost immediate, but nobody else did...they just stood there and watched. He was still alive. It was only after I made that initial move, that others followed. I've always wondered about that. People just standing and gawping at this poor guy. Only about 6 of us went over to see if he was alright.

Interesting article by David Brooks following Penn State scandal may apply here. About halfway into the article he describes the "bystander effect"--

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/15/opinio...avidbrooks

[MaddieM]

(01-23-2013 08:36 AM)BettyO Wrote:  OMG - how horrid, Maddie!

I hope this poor guy made it OK - thanks to You!! Yes, people seem to be paralyzed and do nothing until one brave soul pitches in!

Bless you!

I never found out, Betty. He was so young, about 22. He went right up in the air, and came down in front of the van. Then got dragged. I remember putting a carrier bag under his head because the tarmac was so hard and wet. I have never heard the human body make such a noise as the noise his made when the van hit him. It was loud, like an explosion. I was traumatised the whole weekend, because he had been standing right next to me, waiting to cross. The guy in the van had skipped a red light.

[BettyO]

OMG - yes; unfortunately that sort of thing happens here too! At least it does in Richmond -

[Jim Page]

Fighter pilots talk about an OODA loop: observe; orient; decide; act. The tighter a person's OODA loop, the faster someone can do something, like shooting down an opponent.

The concept applies to many things.

--Jim

[J. Beckert]

Stewart took a swipe at the reins, if I remember correctly, but didn't he lose a few seconds fidgeting for the knob on the wrong side of the back door? If that's true and he lost a few seconds fumbling, this story may have had a different ending for Booth if he hadn't.