The mere word “hero”, in today’s post 9/11 era, brings a chilling revelation that someone doesn’t use their dictionaries often enough. The person who comes into a situation that is “not” part of their job description and intentionally puts their life in their hands to save a person, or more, is the true definition of what hero was meant.

In the case of 9/11, I have see, read, observed, and reveled in the ignorance of so many to try to immortalize the police, firefighters, and emergency crew members, etc. during this period of horrendous drama, destruction, and lose of life. These people (police, firefighters, and emergency crew members) know all too well and from the beginning of their careers/jobs that they stand a better than 50/50 chance to not survive their daily duties.

I appreciate all that they aspired to do and did but to put them on a virtual cloud with other mythical immortals, e.g.; Hercules, Thor, Superman, or any of the other “legendary” superbeings that we all know is ludicrious. They didn’t and (if alive to ask them) wouldn’t have allowed themselves to be aligned to such a level of demi-gods in the guise of “heroes”.

It is, however, very very important to note that their sacrafices for “their jobs” was truly and no less than “brave”. The common usage of “brave” or “bravery” is in the case of someone attempting the impossible and dying in the process. Example of appreciation for and definition of bravery is the “Purple Heart”. If you read the qualifications for that medal you will see the difference. The Congressional Medal of Honor is another prime example. Though upon occasion (when it’s politically correct to do so) it is awarded to a living person.

It is not to take away from the deeds of those fine people who gave their live in the “line of duty” but to give them the correct status and appreciation. To do more or less than that hurts their position, the jobs they held, and/or their memories. Surely, a glimmer of “instant heroism” is quaint but exactly what does that do for those left behind by each individual? Nothing more is done for the wives, husbands, boyfriends, girlfriends, children, or any other connecting person to them.

The life of an individual isn’t measured by the words of the masses but by their deed. These deeds will be honored and appreciated more by those left behind and to the one who put on this planet in the first place. Their demise should NOT BE a venue for the media to huperbolize or feed upon for mere television ratings or the like.

When Hollywood fell to the level of the news media, I for one, was appalled and disappointed in the resurrection of 9/11 in movie after movie. Let it go, people, it was a bad moment that only got worse by the repeating and over play of every aspect from the initual impacts of the planes to the incrediable feeding frenzy of the press and media at any “ground zero” event.

If you need to find a “real-life” hero go do an expose’ the school administrator that’s trying to re-make educational levels of excellence through proper procedure or perhaps do a “made for TV movie” about the gentleman to who wrote the Pulitzer Prize winning book “Middle Sex”.