What has happened to standing up for one another? To speaking out because it is the right thing to do?

Our society appears to have serious flaws in its morals and standards, those internal instincts that catapult people into action when an injustice is sensed.

In Florida, police sent pleas for tips from "certain people" that might help them find the person who kidnapped and killed a 7-year-old girl, who went missing on her walk home from school.

The child's body was found in a Georgia landfill two days later. Now, her mother and authorities need someone to have the courage to share who might have hurt this child. More than 1,100 tips have funneled in to Florida law enforcement, but none with the connection police believe exists.

In California, teens witnessed but failed to report a girl being gang raped outside of their homecoming dance. Reports indicate that some laughed and took pictures of the crime, but did nothing to stop it.

Those who saw the incident should face stiff penalties for failing to help a 15-year-old who may have been attacked by as many as 10 assailants. The witnesses' parents also should question whether they are giving their children guidance to know what should be done in such situations. Why the lack of compassion for another human being?

Of course, there are rays of hope out there, too. In a sea of stories about acts of cruelty stands another Florida case. A woman walking her dog heard screams coming from a home. She decided to take keys from a car running outside of the residence.

While holding the keys to the suspected getaway car, the woman called 911 and stayed on the line until the murder suspect was arrested.

If more people would follow this woman's example and take action in dire situations, the world would be a better place.

Such actions should be the norm, the status quo, and not the unique example of someone who chose to do the right thing.