Upstander vs. Bystander

Anonymous

The recipe to make an upstander is kindness, bravery, courage, the need to make a difference, and a sense of right from wrong. Alone, these traits are valuable and important, but put together, they create something amazing. With all of these attributes, people are able to become upstanders, to do the right thing. Some become upstanders because these traits in them make it impossible for them to sit by while bad things happen to others. These traits give them the ability to make a change, even if they are terrified of the consequences. Others who remain bystanders are not always bad people; they simply lack the courage to stand up for what they really believe in. Many times, they are confused and scared, unable to stand up for themselves, let alone others. Both upstanders and bystanders get scared. However, the difference between them is that upstanders have the ability push down the feeling, and replace it with one of courage. The need to make a change, and the sense of what is right overpowers the fear they feel. In addition, upstanders see what others can’t -- that the people getting hurt need help, and that no matter who they are, everybody deserves someone by their side, fighting alongside with them.

People can be terrified of helping others, especially if it comes at the cost of their own safety. This was especially prominent in the case of the Holocaust. Most people were too scared to help Jewish people, even if they wanted to, even if they believed that what was happening was wrong. The propaganda all around them scared them, and people who didn’t follow Hitler’s rules were made examples, which terrified all. However, there were people who tried to push this thought away. In the story “Choosing to Rescue,” Stefa Dworek, a Polish woman, chose to hide a Jewish woman for many months, taking her into the Dworek’s own home. She lived with the constant fear of being caught by Nazis, aware that she was putting her baby in danger. However, she knew that thousands and thousands of innocent people were being killed, and it was the right thing to. She felt her sense of duty to help anyone, because even just helping one person could make a difference. As she said, “I would have helped anyone. It did not matter who she was.” This is the quality that cuts a clear line, and separates upstanders from bystanders.