Dammit - I go away for a day to do some work and get some sleep, and I miss the group hug! Frown

This is an unbelievably good thread, with remarkable, valid thoughts being expressed by all. (You fellas DO understand the intawebz is supposed to be about trolling, flaming, insulting and generally spreading misery, anger and ignorance, yes? Why aren't ANY of you doing your part???) Emot_rant2

Deejay's thoughts remain closest to mine, and I especially join him in praise of Dearlenbaugh's exceptional post.

But I also like the idea of a quilt which allows everyone to express their values and perspectives; this thread functions as an example of how valuable an exercise that can be.

As far as military service goes, I would restate that conscientious service does occur, and the Republicans of the Spanish Civil War - including and especially another hero of mine, George Orwell - are a good example of people who knowingly placed themselves in harm's way for a just cause. (American Jews who volunteered for service in WWII another good example of conscientious service.)

I would also say that I like the idea of heroism, but that I apply somewhat different standards than some may.

I think heroism is something like a person acting in accordance with their deepest values (values which, I would qualify, incorporate among other things what we call the Golden Rule) despite resistance (including and perhaps especially their own fear), danger (including the derision of supporting unpopular causes) and great obstacles of other kinds (physical or psychological danger, for instance).

I recoil from the casual use of the word, especially the assumption that those who die under marshall circumstances are automatically accorded such status. Those who die in war may or may not be heroes, but that this status is so instantly conferred strikes me as foolish and dangerous indeed, and a capitulation to MIC-think, and the notion that soldiers are to be revered above, for instance, nurses, teachers, writers, cooks or sanitation workers.

A thoughtful soldier may indeed be a hero (by my arbitrary standards), but so too a caring social worker or hardworking ditch-digger.