# A half a milliion to save your kid. Would you do it? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 13, 2010, 8:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-half-a-milliion-to-save-your-kid-would-you-do-it/553575 "2010-09-13T08:19:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2010, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-half-a-milliion-to-save-your-kid-would-you-do-it/553575/21 "2010-09-13T14:21:16Z")
> [@NinetyWt](#): > > I would do everything I could, as many other parents have noted. > > After she gets back home, she can write a book about it, and we’ll make the money back. 🙂 Yeah, in this case I doubt the family will be half a million poorer - although I’d certainly be willing to spend it. This sort of thing, with national media attention - I’m guessing that much is easily raised in donations. Then there are the possibilities of interview fees, book deal, the made for T.V. movie rights. Not that I’d want to spend six months in an Iranian prison worried about my life. Just under these circumstances, the money wouldn’t be my first concern, by any means. ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2010, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-half-a-milliion-to-save-your-kid-would-you-do-it/553575/22 "2010-09-13T14:36:54Z")
I’m not a parent, but I can’t imagine not doing everything in my power to effect their return. However if the chilld had caused me the cost by doing something so absolutely and iredeemably foolish as in this case, I would expect them to at least attempt to pay me back when they got back. ---
**Author:** ![Rand\_Rover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/db5fbb/32.png) [@Rand\_Rover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rand_Rover)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2010, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-half-a-milliion-to-save-your-kid-would-you-do-it/553575/23 "2010-09-13T14:51:00Z")
Yeah, no-brainer, I’d come up with the cash. A more interesting question may be what people would be willing to do to get the money if they didn’t have it (and increase the amount in your mind until you absolutely can’t come up with it yourself). I’d be willing to rob a bank and do a few years in jail (I could catch up on some reading). ---
**Author:** ![Rushgeekgirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rushgeekgirl/32/3715_2.png) [@Rushgeekgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rushgeekgirl)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2010, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-half-a-milliion-to-save-your-kid-would-you-do-it/553575/24 "2010-09-13T15:04:15Z")
I would have to do something illegal to get it. Something BIG too. That’s more money than I have made in my entire life. More than I’ll ever make. But to save one of my girls, there’s no doubt in my mind. It would be worth getting caught. ---
**Author:** ![thirdname](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d07c76/32.png) [@thirdname](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thirdname)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2010, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-half-a-milliion-to-save-your-kid-would-you-do-it/553575/25 "2010-09-13T15:35:15Z")
> [@Rand\_Rover](#): > > I’d be willing to rob a bank and do a few years in jail (I could catch up on some reading). So, it’s okay for you to steal half a million dollars when it’s your family in need, but it’s not okay for someone to steal a few hours or you time for pro bono work? ---
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2010, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-half-a-milliion-to-save-your-kid-would-you-do-it/553575/26 "2010-09-13T16:03:48Z")
> [@thirdname](#): > > > [@Rand\_Rover](#): > > > > I’d be willing to rob a bank and do a few years in jail (I could catch up on some reading). > > So, it’s okay for you to steal half a million dollars when it’s your family in need, but it’s not okay for someone to steal a few hours or you time for pro bono work? :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2010, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-half-a-milliion-to-save-your-kid-would-you-do-it/553575/27 "2010-09-13T20:59:11Z")
No, I’m afraid I wouldn’t. If I get them out of this jam, they’re going to expect me to come to their rescue every time they’re being held in prison by a foreign power on charges of international espionage. Damnit, they’ve got to learn to show some responsibility sometime! ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2010, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-half-a-milliion-to-save-your-kid-would-you-do-it/553575/28 "2010-09-13T21:23:19Z")
> [@Grumman](#): > > > [@MandaJo](#): > > > > Is this an actual kid or a hypothetical kid? > > A hypothetical kid. A hypotheical kid is not worth it. My real kids, everything I’ve got. I’d offer to take their place if I didn’t have enough money, and couldn’t steal it. After I got him out, I’d carry the cruise missile over there myself. I can threaten my kids if I want. You threaten my kids and I will unleash the dogs of hell. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2010, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-half-a-milliion-to-save-your-kid-would-you-do-it/553575/29 "2010-09-13T21:28:20Z")
I’d pay by some method that allows me to stop payment/charge back as soon as the kid lands in a safe location. ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2010, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-half-a-milliion-to-save-your-kid-would-you-do-it/553575/30 "2010-09-13T22:49:06Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > I’d pay by some method that allows me to stop payment/charge back as soon as the kid lands in a safe location. Do you think Iran takes Paypal? Then you could file a dispute. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2010, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-half-a-milliion-to-save-your-kid-would-you-do-it/553575/31 "2010-09-14T00:38:35Z")
> [@Grumman](#): > > If it was to save my kid from an illness, it would be a question of how easily I could get the money together. If it involves permanently crippling the entire family’s financial position, I can’t see it being practical. I’m speechless. > [@](#): > > If it’s to pay off someone holding my kid hostage? No. Rewarding such evil only encourages them to inflict this pain on other families. I’d rather give it to the US military for a “Drop a Cruise Missile on that Wanker’s Head” Fund. So you’d sacrifice your hypothetical kid to save someone else’s hypothetical kid. You are very noble after all. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Mondegreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/91b2a8/32.png) [@Lord\_Mondegreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Mondegreen)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2010, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-half-a-milliion-to-save-your-kid-would-you-do-it/553575/32 "2010-09-14T02:22:17Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > A decision like this must be agony. No it isn’t. It’s not even a decision, because the alternative is too ghastly to contemplate. I would never sacrifice one of my children on a matter of principle. Do you honestly think you could attend your child’s funeral and think, “well at least I avoided setting a precedent.” I wouldn’t sell one of my children for $0.5 million, so I sure as Hell wouldn’t sacrifice one to save that amount. ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2010, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-half-a-milliion-to-save-your-kid-would-you-do-it/553575/33 "2010-09-14T03:10:31Z")
I don’t have kids, and so I don’t know — really know — the emotional attachment that’s involved. I also don’t have $500,000 dollars. If it were my wife, though, I’d do everything in my power to secure the bond. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2010, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-half-a-milliion-to-save-your-kid-would-you-do-it/553575/34 "2010-09-14T03:18:33Z")
$500,000? I’d pay that and more. I’d steal money to save my kid. I’d sell your house while you were out of town. Whatever it took. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2010, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-half-a-milliion-to-save-your-kid-would-you-do-it/553575/35 "2010-09-14T04:27:30Z")
> [@MsWhatsit](#): > > Obviously I would, and I think most parents would say the same. > > However, I do _not_ think that the US government should be involved with financially assisting the family. No good will ever come of the US making known that it is willing to trade money or anything else in return for hostages. Well, considering they once traded weapons for hostages…😉 As for the OP, in a NY minute. I can’t imagine someone even having to ask me IF I would. ---
**Author:** ![GusNSpot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gusnspot/32/436_2.png) [@GusNSpot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GusNSpot)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2010, 6:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-half-a-milliion-to-save-your-kid-would-you-do-it/553575/36 "2010-09-14T06:21:23Z")
Humm, you’d sell my house to save your kid? Nope, you will die first. You can’t live if you lose a child, you better be damn lucky because the odds of you out living your child is greater than you think. You would steal? Not my money. You have 7 kids and will bankrupt the family and not be able to provide money for Johnnie who has MS? And Susie that has some serious need of $1000/ month Rx to survive? I had two children. Now I have one. If you can’t even imagine it, then you can’t survive it. I too would like to know why there were even allowed to hike in an area where they could have been close enough to get into what they did? Shame on the state department for allowing them to go and the parents too. The parents are to blame also. Should have had a rescue plan all ready if they were going to let them do that. Were the kids over 21 and went against parental advice and without the proper visas and permissions? If so, it is just Darwinism in action. Do nothing. If I had no living spouse and no other children or obligations, I would do all I could but I would not harm others to do such as stealing money or property or the like. We in this country and a few other places have bought into the idea that all life is precious and worth ANYTHING to save. That is about a max of 10% of the world population I guess. The other 90% is not that silly and have been gouging us for many years. Only our soldiers do we blow off and expect to be killed with all forms of restrictions on how they must not fight or all the way that they can not save their own lives and we keep voting the cowards back into office who set those rules up without any knowledge of what they are doing. So I vote yes if I can; but I can well imagine many things that would keep me from doing so. If there is time, donations are the way to go, $500.000 is a doable amount nationwide. I would help. The minute I found the parents going rouge, I will no longer help. YMMV ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2010, 7:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-half-a-milliion-to-save-your-kid-would-you-do-it/553575/37 "2010-09-14T07:16:10Z")
> [@GusNSpot](#): > > Were the kids over 21 and went against parental advice and without the proper visas and permissions? I don’t know about the second part but they’re 27, 27, & 31. ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2010, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-half-a-milliion-to-save-your-kid-would-you-do-it/553575/38 "2010-09-14T12:46:33Z")
I’d ask Oprah. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2010, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-half-a-milliion-to-save-your-kid-would-you-do-it/553575/39 "2010-09-14T14:40:13Z")
> [@GusNSpot](#): > > Were the kids over 21 and went against parental advice and without the proper visas and permissions? If so, it is just Darwinism in action. Do nothing. They were all grown-ass adults; I don’t know about “parental advice” (I doubt many parents can give accurate advice about hiking in that part of the world) however they did go against the advice of informed locals, who told them specifically not to go into the area because you can’t tell where the border is and if you’re on the wrong side you’ll be treated as a spy. They went anyway, they were intercepted on the wrong side of the border, and they were treated as spies. _Quelle surprise!_ I’m still only half-certain they weren’t working as spies, to tell you the truth, and I’m American. ---
**Author:** ![Uzi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/91b2a8/32.png) [@Uzi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uzi)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2010, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-half-a-milliion-to-save-your-kid-would-you-do-it/553575/40 "2010-09-14T18:43:43Z")
> [@Hello\_Again](#): > > However if the chilld had caused me the cost by doing something so absolutely and iredeemably foolish as in this case, I would expect them to at least attempt to pay me back when they got back. Seriously, even if every parent would be willing to mortgage their soul to get their kid back (which I’m not entirely convinced they would do as 1/2mil is a large chunk of change), is there anyone who would just mark it ‘debt paid’ once they were freed given the totally avoidable and stupid decisions that resulted in their capture? And if your kid isn’t the type who would make every attempt to pay you back, why even make the effort to raise the cash? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-half-a-milliion-to-save-your-kid-would-you-do-it/553575.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-half-a-milliion-to-save-your-kid-would-you-do-it/553575.md?page=3)