Not all ‘heroes’ are real ‘heroes’
Who are heroes? – I
define real heroes as those who, at great risk, take personal actions to save
others.
Who aren’t heroes? – I
suggest, and believe, that not all military, not all first responders,
nor all those who fly a flag in their front yard or on their vehicle are heroes.
Likewise not all attendants at car washes, clerks at checkout counters, nor
servers in McDonalds are heroes.
Further,
I believe there have been a rotten few whose actions brought shame and disgrace
to the uniform they wore and the country they serve. Those few, despite wearing
a uniform, are not heroes. I suggest those include a few from Abu Ghraib, Iraq
and My Lai, Vietnam, and that in every war we've ever fought there have been
such rotten apples that spoil the reputation of the rest.
Further,
I believe there have been a rotten few whose actions brought shame and disgrace
to the police uniform they wore and the people of the cities, towns, and
counties where they served. Police who recently in NYC arrested a man for
selling cigarettes, and applied a choke hold which killed him while four others
looked on are among these rotten few. The police officer who shot an unarmed
man in the back as the man tried to flee, and the police in Baltimore who illegally
arrested and beat a suspect to death even before the suspect arrived at the
booking station are similarly among the rotten apples. Police are hired,
hopefully trained, and serve to protect all – including suspects of crimes.
Members of the ‘Tea Party’ call themselves ‘patriots’ and
even dress up in Revolutionary War era attire to give an aura of self defined relevance. My
opinion is that most are arrogant, self serving radicals who care not one wit
for others. Their actions in very recent
memory shut down our Federal government, impacting the whole country, creating
the worldwide impression that right wing radical anarchists control America.
Their actions caused an economic loss in the Billions … delayed home payments,
credit card payments, and directly impacted millions living paycheck to
paycheck.
By saying and implying all first responders, military, or
iconic athletes are ‘heroes’ diminishes the real heroism and relevance of true
heroes.
