The Modern Day Hero

[_Philospher_]

Sometimes I wonder if there are any more heros in the world of today like the ones I read about in my history books. Lately, I've seen plenty of "evil-doers" (Osama bin Laden for one), but for once I want to know who are the Martin Luther Kings or Mother Teresas (sp?) of my time? What living person do you believe is a hero of our time that your children will look back in the history books and see his or her face? Also, why do you think so?

 

[Communisto]

there are no heroes in modern times that i know of to as grand the days that i am thinking of 1970 to when ever you want.

 

[CenturionV]

Sometimes I wonder if there are any more heros in the world of today like the ones I read about in my history books. Lately, I've seen plenty of "evil-doers" (Osama bin Laden for one), but for once I want to know who are the Martin Luther Kings or Mother Teresas (sp?) of my time? What living person do you believe is a hero of our time that your children will look back in the history books and see his or her face? Also, why do you think so?

Thats a hard question, considering I DO NOT think martin luther king was a "hero", and I don't know much of mother teresa but I don't think she conquered any enemies or anything sooo.........

The REAL heros, are men like winston churchill, george W bush, and the 15 and 16th century reformers, people like the resistance in WWII or the british soldiers who fought against napoleon, and the men and women who run the US ICBM silos, and missile subs, and keep the world safe a free every single day, the unsung heros in the CIA and other intelligence agencies who never get fancy medals, who risk there lives, live and die, and never have anyone know, firefighters and policemen who die in the line of duty, those are the kinds of people who are hero's in my eyes.....

 

[Fetus4188]

Heroes are spawned from crisis, therefore I don't want any heroes.

 

[JtheJackal]

In realm of type of heroes this topic was started about (not the type CenturionV is mentioning)
I've read many inspiring stories of African heroes trying to make thier countires and continent a better place. Sadly I don't remember thier names.

 

[_Philospher_]

It dosn't matter what "type" of hero...I was just naming some that I thought were heros. Feel free to state anyone you think is a hero.

 

[stratego]

It may be hard to know who of today would be known as a hero in the later days. Martin Luther King, Mohammad Ali, and John F. Kennedy weren't consider heroes of the time. They were controversial figures. So who knows, Bush might be seen as a hero in the future if the time is right to make him so.

 

[Stegyre]

IMHO, the passengers of Flight 93 on September 11th were heros. When faced with a dire situation, they rose up and fought. In part, they were undoubtedly fighting for their own lives, as they realized by that time that this was not an ordinary hijacking. Yet they also must have realize how slim their own chance for survival was, and their willingness to face death undoubtedly saved many others who would have perished if the hijackers had reached their target.

I salute them as representing some of the best of what humanity is capable of, as those who caused their death represent some of the worst.

http://www.flt93memorial.org/

 

[blindside]

It seems these days anyone who dies is a hero. I don't want to upset anyone but calling people in WTC on Sept 11. heroes makes no sense. They didn't choose to be or sacrifice their lives (some exceptions: firefighters, cops). "Hero" is a word that just gets thrown around if you want to make someone feel better about the death of a loved one.

 

[Fifty]

I agree 100% with Stegyre's assessment of the passengers of Flight 93.


As for singular, famous-type heroes, I'm not sure if I can necessarily identify one within the past 10 years or so. Maybe the reason is, as stratego states, because they will be identified in later years. Its hard to identify recent people as heroes, because the reprecussions of what they have accomplished have not yet been fully felt.

 

[Stegyre]

It seems these days anyone who dies is a hero. I don't want to upset anyone but calling people in WTC on Sept 11. heroes makes no sense. They didn't choose to be or sacrifice their lives (some exceptions: firefighters, cops). "Hero" is a word that just gets thrown around if you want to make someone feel better about the death of a loved one.

I agree. Those working in the WTC were victims. Although I have heard stories of heroics in that situation, I think it denigrates those who truly were heroic to place the title on anyone who happened to die that day.

Also not intending offense, I would not even apply the title to all of the police and firefighters. They knew that they were in a dangerous situation, but I don't think they realized just how dangerous. Yes, they were brave, and some probably were heroic, but the title should be used sparingly.

I do not even apply it to all the passengers of Flight 93. Undoubtedly, some of them stayed in their seats, scared spit-less. I wonder, if I had been there, if I would have been among them. Those who rose up, however . . . .

 

[raen]

Heroes are spawned from crisis, therefore I don't want any heroes.

I agree with you on first one, but who said the world is not in crisis?

We need alot of heroes!

 

[Mario Feldberg]

Well, some people think this guy is a hero of peace...

 

[Warman17]

Sometimes I wonder if there are any more heros in the world of today like the ones I read about in my history books. Lately, I've seen plenty of "evil-doers" (Osama bin Laden for one), but for once I want to know who are the Martin Luther Kings or Mother Teresas (sp?) of my time? What living person do you believe is a hero of our time that your children will look back in the history books and see his or her face? Also, why do you think so?

Didn't she die right after Princess Diana, but no one cared cause Princess Diana was more 'important'.