Comments on: Who is your hero?

By: Jonathan

Jonathan — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 01:53:10 +0000

I came upon this post while doing a research assignment about heroes. I am like you. I support human rights. I am opposed to the American occupation of Iraq. I am also opposed to violent religious zealots of all religions. But unlike you I am on the supposed “other side.” I am a Christian in America and I want you to know that I love you despite our differences. It is comforting to know that there are people in the Arab world that have the insight to see the best route to peace.

By: Esra'a (Bahrain)

Esra'a (Bahrain) — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 14:17:12 +0000

Marco, this is a great song!

By: Marco Oliveira

Marco Oliveira — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 22:50:59 +0000

There was a rock band called “The Stranglers” who once had a hit called “No more heroes”
You may watch the video here.
I can not remember how many times I heard that song!

By: Nissim Dahan (Israel/USA)

Nissim Dahan (Israel/USA) — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 21:30:52 +0000

There obviously is a universal truth that is available and approachable to all.

Yes there is, and it’s called Common Sense, the collective wisdom born of shared experience.

The Presidential Seal of the United States features an American Eagle holding two things with her tallons: a cluster of arrows with one, signifying America’s military might, and an olive branch with the other, the universal symbol of peace.

Common Sense would suggest that there will be times when heroes have no choice but to use their arrows, and other times, when the olive branch would be the better bet.

I wish there will never be a need for bloodshed, and Esra’a would probably concur, but until we come to believe in what makes sense, we will continue to need our heroes, even when all they have is their arrows.

By: Mohammad Memarian (Iran)

Mohammad Memarian (Iran) — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 15:45:54 +0000

I am tired of Heroism, whoever the heros happen to be.

By: Tonto (USA)

Tonto (USA) — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 06:03:30 +0000

All my life I was taught that a man is three things. He is HONOR, COURAGE and FAITH. Honor is what makes you a real human being. This is the high moral and social code that one assumes in one’s society, to attempt to be the best, most model citizen of that society that you can be. We all, from everywhere, have a pretty good idea of what that should be. Courage is what one needs to uphold that honor against anything and everything that tries to pull it down. One does not need to be fashionable or ridiculously PC, or something less than honorable because of outside pressure to be otherwise. We hear all kinds of pure crap about what others would like to shape our thinking to be, but the truely honorable person will ignore it. Faith is what we all really need to help us through the times when hope is growing thin and our courage is getting shakey. It’s tough to hold to these beliefs in these times. My #2 greatest hero of all time is Ghandi, and I immediately thought of him and his leadership as I was reading what Esra’a wrote. A perfect example of HONOR, COURAGE and FAITH. There are many, all over the world that follow this belief, even though they may have never thought they were or spoken about it. They quietly live their lives trying to do the “next right thing” every time they get the chance to do so. Not “great”, not spectacular, but honest and honorable. Those are the heros to me. And they are everywhere. They will prevail. Nothing can stop them.

By: Omid T (Iran/USA)

Omid T (Iran/USA) — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 03:06:05 +0000

You know Marco, Esra’a et al as I was reading Esra’as post I was thinking…”Ghandi, MLK and Tolstoy would all be proud right now…” Its not just me either. There obviously is a universal truth that is available and approachable to all. We seem to be feeling it right now.

By: Marco Oliveira

Marco Oliveira — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 23:05:28 +0000

Heroes?
Members of the Wehrmacht were heroes of the German People.
Members of the Red Army were heroes of the peoples of the USSR.
Members of the People’s Army use to be the heroes of the Chinese people (now they rather entrepreneurs!).
When I was a kid, members of the Portuguese Colonial Army were portrayed as national heroes.

True heroes don’t carry weapons on their hands; cowards do.

Praising and honoring men who spread war, violence and terror is a typical attitude totalitarian regimes and undeveloped societies.

True heroes fight for peace! True heroes work for the tranquility of the peoples and the well being of the nations. True heroes are inspiring examples of dedication to others.

And the last hundred years our planet witnesses the acts of several heroes: Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Nelson Mandela, …

By: Erik

Erik — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 20:18:21 +0000

Thanks, Esra’a, for writing a balanced post, and a welcome antidote to that pathetic post by Ali calling Kuntar a hero. Baruch Goldstein is not a hero, and neither is Kuntar.

By: ray

ray — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 19:57:18 +0000

fantastic post!!!