Originally posted by Night Watchman
What Michael Moore should be asking is, "why does anyone even care what I think?"
I'm not surprised that this fat blob doesn't consider anyone heroic who isn't serving him pork chops. I am an Obama supporter but am now
considering voting for McCain in the hopes that a McCain victory will cause Moore to suffer a massive heart attack.
Ok, I'm not serious about that last part but you get my point.
Look, I happen to believe those who are willing to defend one's country are heroic. They didn't make the policy. They don't get to choose the
actions they take. They are simply doing their jobs and because they do, the citizens of their country can feel safe (except the paranoids who hide
under the bed because they see govt conspiracies at every turn.
As George Orwell wrote:
People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because brave men stand ready to do violence on their behalf
It's easy to sit behind a keyboard and express our opinions. Most of us can feel safe in doing so. We can thank those who serve to protect us for
that.
There's a difference between bravery and heroism. I would consider soldiers to be brave. It takes some guts just to enlisting. But heroic? That would
depend on their actions and the circumstances. Just because anybody does something brave doesn't mean they are heroic. Besides, their job offers them
a lot of benefits and other opportunities despite the risks involved. The missions and the wars that they are sent to usually serve for dubious and
less than lofty purposes. I don't doubt many of these people who sign up are aware of this, yet they still choose to enlist. That's their choice. A
gutsy choice, but it doesn't automatically entitle them to heroism. How about a parent who does 3-shifts a day just so they could give their children
the shot at life that they never had? Wouldn't you consider that heroic? That is real long-term sacrifice. We don't consider that heroic, because we
don't see it glorified by the media and by the politicians. They may not be heroes to you, but they are to the well-being of the children whose
sacrifice they serve.
These days, the media, popular culture, politicians and the people themselves have a lot to do with stretching the definitions of heroism, often to
the point of banality. The problem with this is we often ignore those whose service, self-sacrifice, vision and extraordinary humanity really deserve
the praise that should be given them. But instead we worship recycled pop-idol hogwash like McCain. It benefits politicians more, since they get to
set up as icons and poster boys those whom they can manipulate the most. The soldiers, while definitely brave, are more like victims than heroes. The
people are guilty too, of encouraging them to needless deaths. My only wish for consolation is that we at least should send them to wars that do serve
a real noble purpose.
We deserve better heroes. We deserve real heroes. There are heroes in the uniformed ranks, but not all of them are heroes.
[edit on 22-8-2008 by JCMac]
[edit on 22-8-2008 by JCMac]
attacking McCain in this way on this issue will backfire immediately and the net result will be more votes for McCain not against. It has zero relevance to the election and does not speak to any real issue so it is just a spiteful attack. Its a new low for Moore and I smell the slimiest operatives the Democrats have in their ranks behind it. This is no Swift Boat and it won't work.
