Sophie’s Third Choice

“Your wife, or your child? You must choose between them. If you do not, I shall kill them both.”

“Then take me instead.”

“My good man. Did you not hear what I said? If you do not choose—”

“I do choose. I chose myself. Are you going to respect my choice or not?”

“That isn’t one of your choices.”

“Yes it is. You may have the power to take our lives, but you don’t have the power to force me to make such an awful choice. Kill me, and let them go free.”

“Very well. If that is your choice, then I shall kill them both.”

“You think you have power? Life and death is nothing. Liberty is everything. With all your power, you cannot take that Liberty whereby God has made us free.”

“There is no God.”

“Then put that gun to your own head, because when all is said and done, the only power that matters is the power to face your own death manfully; all else is simply cowardice. But if not, know that the day will come when you and I will stand before the judgment bar of God, and I will be called to testify of what you did this day. Then you will weep and wail, and cry for the mountains to fall upon you and hide your face from the wrath of Almighty God. But they will not, and you will be compelled to stand before God with a perfect knowledge of all your guilt, and a perfect memory of all your crimes. Then we will see who has power. Then we will see who is free.”

“You try my patience, son. Try it any further, and I shall kill all of you.”

“Then shoot, and be damned.”

There is always a third choice. There is always a solution to the Kobayashi Maru. Never believe in no-win scenarios.