Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Use of the Word Hero



This is a clip from Up/Chris Hayes where they discuss the use of the word "Hero". Of course the Reich-WingNuts went ballistic!!

You shouldn't be called a hero for JUST doing your job!!  You should actually do something heroic!!
Rude Pundit has a post about this and pretty much expresses what I've thought for many years now. The word "Hero" is way overused these days.

I did a post called "Patriotism or Platitudes" the other year and I'm still wondering "Are the troops being honored at things like NASCAR races and other sporting events, or are they being used.  On one hand I think it's nice that the troops are getting recognition, but on the other hand the cynical me says they are just putting them on display at these events so they can say, "Aren't we so very Patriotic??"

I served during the Vietnam War and I don't consider myself a "Hero" because all I did was my job and put in my time until I could get out!!
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5 comments:

  1. SargeMay 30, 2012 at 4:39 PM

    Kulkuri,
    58,200 GIs died in the "Nam". Were they all heroes? Of course not. Patriots? Unlikely.
    People caught up in a impossibile situation that cost them their lives? More likely.
    BobbY Kewlowe stepped on a mine in Quang Tri Province in Vietnam and suffered what the medical records called "multiple traumatic amputation". What that amounted to was both legs and part of a arm.
    Was Bobby a hero? No, just like you another GI doing his duty under more difficult conditions.

    I retired in 1988 - I am no hero.
    But, I did my job and I did it quite well.

    Sarge

    ReplyDelete
  2. The Blog FodderMay 31, 2012 at 4:20 AM

    Soldiers are being used in every way possible. To fight the rich man's wars and to drum up support to continue fighting them. All at taxpayers' expense.
    Yet, in a sense, anyone who puts his life on the line, in the official line of duty, whether justly or unjustly, needs to be recognized as more than someone "just doing a job".
    My friend's dad crossed the beach at Dieppe four times under fire, the second two times to go back and rescue his wounded sergeant. To him that was "just doing his job" as thousands of others do it in wartime. Was he a hero?

    ReplyDelete
  3. The Blog FodderMay 31, 2012 at 7:17 AM

    The commentator has apparently apologized.
    http://www.truthdig.com/avbooth/item/msnbc_host_hayes_apologizes_for_controversial_heroes_comment_20120528/?ln

    ReplyDelete
  4. The Blog FodderMay 31, 2012 at 7:21 AM

    See also MoJo http://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2012/05/chris-hayes-heroes


    In transforming our soldiers or police automatically into "heroes" we ignore the atrocities our own side commits. In doing so we also ignore the real moments of heroism. We give a free pass to anyone with a uniform and a gun regardless of their individual merit, and lend unwitting support to every war, from Iraq and Afghanistan to the War on Drugs, in the process.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Grung_e_GeneMay 31, 2012 at 9:45 AM

    By making soldiers heroes you make Dresden and Fallujah bold heroic ventures.

    Vonnegut is broiling extra hard in hell over this...

    ReplyDelete

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