Gonna keep this one short and sweet and let you all debate amongst yourselves.
I believe the word "hero" is being used entirely too freely in America today. It is not intended to be used on stupid people who have seen the error of their ways. The cessation of stupidity or stupid behavior does not qualify one to be a hero. It is to be commended, but not given hero status. By including stupid people who have stopped being stupid in the class of heroes we dilute the meaning of the word so much it dishonors those who commit real acts of heroism. Recently, people who have quit smoking after the behavior has caused deformations to their bodies have been labeled heroes. So, next time a firefighter runs into a burning building and carries out a baby while suffering significant damage to his own body, ask yourself this question, is his act of valor and personal sacrifice on the same level as a person who quit smoking? Does the cessation of the stupid behavior of smoking qualify a person to be put in the same classification as a Marine who pulls three of his wounded buddies to safety while taking enemy fire to his own body? Does exposing your deformities that were caused by the stupid behavior of smoking in a public service ad qualify you to be labeled the same as a police officer who uses his own body to shield a child from debris propelled at tremendous speeds from a gas explosion? As much as I admire these people who have the courage to expose themselves and the realities of smoking to the scrutiny of the public, it still remains that they are living with the results of stupidity. Even though they have admirably quit smoking, the fact remains that the cessation of a stupid behavior does not a hero make.
I believe the word "hero" is being used entirely too freely in America today. It is not intended to be used on stupid people who have seen the error of their ways. The cessation of stupidity or stupid behavior does not qualify one to be a hero. It is to be commended, but not given hero status. By including stupid people who have stopped being stupid in the class of heroes we dilute the meaning of the word so much it dishonors those who commit real acts of heroism. Recently, people who have quit smoking after the behavior has caused deformations to their bodies have been labeled heroes. So, next time a firefighter runs into a burning building and carries out a baby while suffering significant damage to his own body, ask yourself this question, is his act of valor and personal sacrifice on the same level as a person who quit smoking? Does the cessation of the stupid behavior of smoking qualify a person to be put in the same classification as a Marine who pulls three of his wounded buddies to safety while taking enemy fire to his own body? Does exposing your deformities that were caused by the stupid behavior of smoking in a public service ad qualify you to be labeled the same as a police officer who uses his own body to shield a child from debris propelled at tremendous speeds from a gas explosion? As much as I admire these people who have the courage to expose themselves and the realities of smoking to the scrutiny of the public, it still remains that they are living with the results of stupidity. Even though they have admirably quit smoking, the fact remains that the cessation of a stupid behavior does not a hero make.
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