Heros

What happened to our heroes? A hero used to be a person who put his or her life on the line to save someone else from death or serious harm. These days, people are called heroes for just being good neighbors, friends, or citizens, and even for just following their doctor's orders. Now a hero is a little girl who reports smoke coming from a neighbor’s house, marines working motor pool at a reserve center who were killed by a terrorist, a dog who wakes its owner to save him from a fire, or someone who finishes treatment for cancer and is cured. 

If these are heroes, what do we call the people who rush into burning houses to save lives, marines who die rushing onto the battlefield to save fallen comrades, or people who defend someone being assaulted? These days, athletes are called heroes because they are good at their sports, doctors are called heroes because they are good at their jobs, and people who are shot while sitting in a church are considered heroes because they died (had they lived they would just be called victims).

You may admire someone who has done something great, or have sympathy for someone who is sick, injured, or has been killed but these things are not heroic. Bring back the true heroes, the people who risk their lives doing heroic things.