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If a person willfully engages in public service that involves certain levels of danger, and those persons take a paycheck and benefits to engage in that danger, then they shouldn't be held up as heroes.
Often times these people are put in the position of taking a the easy road or the hard road. If you have police officer that comes to an accident with car on fire and he tries to extricate the people putting his own life at risk and getting himself burned, that is not something that is expected of them. That is a heroic act.
Often times these people are put in the position of taking a the easy road or the hard road. If you have police officer that comes to an accident with car on fire and he tries to extricate the people putting his own life at risk and getting himself burned, that is not something that is expected of them. That is a heroic act.
I think the point is that they are willing to take on a physically dangerous and psychologically tough profession in the first place.
Man, you guys are so sour about every damn thing you make my teeth hurt.
That's what I think too. The idea is that these are people who run toward trouble when the rest of us are running away. They risk their lives. Ought to be worth something, IMHO.
That's what I think too. The idea is that these are people who run toward trouble when the rest of us are running away. They risk their lives. Ought to be worth something, IMHO.
But, the point they are making is that there are plenty of people in those professions that don't do that. I know a guy that is becoming a police officer strictly because of the attention he gets because of it. Just like most of us probably know someone or work with someone that does the minimum and that is it, if not less, I don't think these professions are exempt from that entirely based on the types of jobs they could do. Some take advantage of the profession. We can't ever say that everyone in the category is a hero. If that was true, we wouldn't have arrests for corruption, etc. Some people in this group are no different than a lot of politicians. But, it doesn't mean that I don't appreciate what they do. I just appreciate those that do these jobs for the right reasons more. Not all of them are heroes, but they all have the chance to be heroes. It is something they earn.
I suppose you have a point, but when they go above and beyond what is expected and past protocol, would they not be heroes then? After all, they would be outside the scope of their job responsibilities?
Which begs asking: If a first responder is one his way home from work and pulls someone from a burning car, is he a hero? He could have kept driving, I suppose.
There was a guy I was enrolling for benefits back in the day when I used to work on the Southside of Chicago. He couldn't have been more than 19 years old. He worked every day at the fast food joint to pay his bills and try to take care of his family. The fast food joint was right next to an open drug market and the joint served as a lookout for the dealers. The place was so bad I had a guy try to jack me for my computer and another guy snorted lines of coke at one of the tables. They had to have bullet proof glass separating the customers from the staff.
The kid had been attacked in the store multiple times and even survived a robbery by hiding in the freezer when the store was robbed. They executed the old store manager even after she gave them the money.
The kid got up every day and went to work. Even after all that he'd seen and experienced there. He was simply trying to make ends meet.
That kid was a hero.
As far as the OP goes, some are heroes, some are not. When you knowingly put yourself at serious risk for the well being of others, your a hero IMO.
Which begs asking: If a first responder is one his way home from work and pulls someone from a burning car, is he a hero? He could have kept driving, I suppose.
Absolutely. I don't know about you, but I drive a lot and have witnessed some accidents and many people just drive on and don't think about stopping. I don't think it is because they don't realize what is going on, they just believe that someone else will do that. A hero doesn't do that.
There was a guy I was enrolling for benefits back in the day when I used to work on the Southside of Chicago. He couldn't have been more than 19 years old. He worked every day at the fast food joint to pay his bills and try to take care of his family. The fast food joint was right next to an open drug market and the joint served as a lookout for the dealers. The place was so bad I had a guy try to jack me for my computer and another guy snorted lines of coke at one of the tables. They had to have bullet proof glass separating the customers from the staff.
The kid had been attacked in the store multiple times and even survived a robbery by hiding in the freezer when the store was robbed. They executed the old store manager even after she gave them the money.
The kid got up every day and went to work. Even after all that he'd seen and experienced there. He was simply trying to make ends meet.
That kid was a hero.
As far as the OP goes, some are heroes, some are not. When you knowingly put yourself at serious risk for the well being of others, your a hero IMO.
I would dispute that simply because although that is amazing, it isn't in the same category that we are all referring to. His behavior may have been heroic in that it is obvious that he was courageous and determined, but I don't see the conclusion that he is a hero simply because he worked in situations that most people wouldn't because it sounds like he had no other choice. It is absolutely commendable, but I don't think it is fair to label him as a hero along with a firefighter that saves a family when he is instructed not to go into the building and is burned over 90% of his body.
First responders like members of the military aren't recognized as such when they risk their lives during routine operations even when their lives are placed at risk, that is for many a daily occurrence that they get paid to do. It is only when they go above and beyond the normal risk of life and limb that they are recognized by their peers as rising to the title hero.
But having said that, it is the height of arrogance for someone who is not a member of that brotherhood and sisterhood to deprecate their everyday heroism for which they are paid, and never paid anywhere near what their lives are actually worth. Which brings me to my final point. By the op's definition there are no heros certainly none that have ever served in the military, a fire or police department which pretty much eliminates most of those who through the history of the country we have honored for heroism.
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But, it doesn't mean that I don't appreciate what they do. I just appreciate those that do these jobs for the right reasons more. Not all of them are heroes, but they all have the chance to be heroes. It is something they earn.
