Never Tease a Tiger
Recently I was sitting at a table with two fellow toastmasters at a Toastmasters’ training event.
This was during a break and we had just polished off some very nice refreshments.
One gentleman asked the other about a recent Toastmaster’s conference which took place in Las Vegas.
Before the second man was able to utter a complete word, I stopped him abruptly.
He seemed surprised and startled but began again.
A second time I successfully stopped him from sharing what had taken place in that famous Nevada city.
Yes, I had called on the universal rule “What happens in Las Vegas, stays in Las Vegas!”
Mr. Toastmaster, fellow toastmasters and welcome guests.
In 1999, a man working for R and R Partners, a public relations agency, came up with a very clever promotional slogan which implied that what you did in a certain popular gambling and entertainment Mecca would not leave that city and damage your reputation back home.
“What Happens in Las Vegas, stays in Las Vegas!”
Many variations of this slogan permeate today’s media.
I successfully stopped a toastmaster from communicating simply by drawing on the implication of this clever advertising slogan!
This promotional message has definitely boosted the bottom line for the tourist industry of Las Vegas!
I have come up with a slogan which may be used to save the lives of young people!
“Never Tease a Tiger!”
On December 25, 2007, Christmas Day, three young men visited the San Francisco Zoo.
The teenagers converged at the enclosure of Tatiana, the tiger.
The teenagers did not think it was a bad idea to tease a tiger.
They had adversely affected their reasoning by drinking vodka and smoking marijuana just before entering the zoo.
Apparently, they assumed the tiger could not leap out of her enclosure.
They were mistaken.
By nightfall, 17 year-old Carlos was dead, his two companions were injured.
Tatiana, the magnificent tiger, had been shot and killed by the police.
None of the adults who observed the young men teasing the wild animal prevented the tragedy by warning the teenagers “Never Tease a Tiger!”
On September 17, 2008 in San Diego, three seventeen year olds boarded a transit bus for a short trip between their high school located on Linda Vista Road and the Old Town Trolley Station less than two miles away.
The two teenage girls relentlessly teased the teenaged boy.
Within moments of disembarking at the trolley stop, a brief scuffle between the teenagers ended when Daniel plunged a knife into Rochelle’s heart.
Apparently, no passengers on that fateful bus ride warned the teenaged girls: “Never Tease a Tiger!”
On January 16 of this year in an El Cajon mobile home park, ten-year-old Matthew stabbed twelve-year-old Ryan.
Ryan died within a few hours. There is a line from a song which states “when men cannot be friends, their quarrel often ends where some have to die.”
At this time, there is no way of knowing if ten-year-old Matthew felt teased but it is believed that Ryan was trying to intervene in an interaction between another boy and Matthew.
I believe Ryan could have diverted the ten-year-old’s attention by shouting “Never Tease a Tiger!” and getting the boys to disperse. We will never know if that action would have prevented yet another tragedy.
Currently there is a popular television program hosted by John Quinones entitled “What would you do?”
Actors and actresses stage situations in public places to see what people who witness the situation will do.
I want to add a new life saving slogan to our ever expanding lexicon. “Never Tease a Tiger!”
Forget about what happens in Las Vegas!
My hope is that the day will come when people who observe teasing taking place between young people will easily diffuse the situation by admonishing; “Never Tease a Tiger!”
If you find yourself witnessing a teasing situation which should be stopped, create a life-saving distraction!
Shout “Never Tease a Tiger!”
You may prevent a tragedy.