Posted on Jul 27, 2014
Stop calling Soldiers heroes. It stops us from seeing them as human.
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http://www.salon.com/2014/07/20/stop_calling_soldiers_heroes_it_stops_us_from_seeing_them_as_human_and_dismisses_their_experience/ersonally, being branded with this tag makes me uncomfortable because I know myself and my flaws. I feel like I need to live up to an unrealistic expectation. Even my girlfriend is guilty of doing it sometimes. I've told her that I appreciate that shes proud of me and what I, and the rest of us in uniform, do, but that it makes me feel like I'm on a pedestal that I don't deserve to be on.
Thoughts on this?
Thoughts on this?
Service
Heroes
Posted 8 y ago
Responses: 24
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I know I'm not a hero but I do believe there are some in the military who can truly be called that especially those who have received the Medal of Honor, Distinguished Service Cross or Silver Star.
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SSG (Join to see)
SSG Michael Scholl, I know the feeling. I occasionally forget who I was going to comment to as well as thumbs up.
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MSG(P) (Join to see)
I am not a hero just a Soldier serving this great country and the people of it !
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SGT (Join to see)
SSG (Join to see) , there are definitely those that walk among us and those who have fallen whose actions make them quite deserving of the title. I'm not trying to take that away from them.
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SSG (Join to see)
SGT (Join to see), I do understand and I agree. There are definitely some who are heroes.
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Ah, the cult of Support Our Troops. We're all "warriors,” “brave men and women in uniform," "our Nation's finest," and "heroes.” There's a huge difference between having sentimental reverence for the military and placing service members on a pedestal. Many civilians have developed a sort of dysfunctional relationship with us and in the most extreme cases, it manifests as a bizarre hero-worship that considers us some type of uber-citizens. Political scientist, Jonathan Weiler termed it the "cult of the uniform." Weiler stated soldiers, police and firefighters embody a notion of public service to which civilians are no more than spectators.
What started as respect has transformed into something disturbing. Anyone else recall seeing an able bodied service member board a plane with the disabled before mothers with small children? Ever been standing in line at lunch only to learn your bill is paid? Simply wearing the uniform does not entitle me to privileges or ensure I'm not a terrible person, a deserving person. The military is a SERVICE I chose. I am deeply uncomfortable with the acquiescence and yes, sometimes pandering, I find when I'm in uniform.
Anytime members of a democratic society are made to feel less than, we all lose.
What started as respect has transformed into something disturbing. Anyone else recall seeing an able bodied service member board a plane with the disabled before mothers with small children? Ever been standing in line at lunch only to learn your bill is paid? Simply wearing the uniform does not entitle me to privileges or ensure I'm not a terrible person, a deserving person. The military is a SERVICE I chose. I am deeply uncomfortable with the acquiescence and yes, sometimes pandering, I find when I'm in uniform.
Anytime members of a democratic society are made to feel less than, we all lose.
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MAJ (Join to see)
Absolutely! I would have to guess a lot of the hero-worship of service members stems from the 'baby killer' generation of soldiers. The public is dead set on not repeating those injustices, but have swung a little far in the other direction. I'm certainly not advocating ignoring the sacrifices of service members. I'm a little concerned by the worship.
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SPC Charles Brown
1LT (Join to see) remember my father coming home from Vietnam in 1969, the names he was called and items thrown on or at him by civilians, were in my young eyes cruel and outright mean. My dad was always my hero, and to see this little 5'2" man walking through the airport being humiliated as he did and never react was all that was good with America back then. I never wanted to be a civilian, I am glad I am a veteran.
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MAJ (Join to see)
CPL Brown, first I can't believe you were around and cognizant in '69 and second, please thank your father for us.
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SPC Charles Brown
MAJ (Join to see) I was born on 7 November 1962 at Clark Air Force Base, Philippine Islands. Sadly, my father is no longer alive, but I will relay your thank you message when I see him on the other side. I am 51 years old.
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I know how you feel as I don't consider myself a hero. I also know we as service members know the truth about our brothers and sisters in arms, good, bad and ugly.
But try telling a civilian we aren't heroes and Lord help ya lol.
But try telling a civilian we aren't heroes and Lord help ya lol.
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SSG V. Michelle Woods
Oh I don't think so. MEN kill and skin animals and women cook them! Stop screwing up the system SSG Michael Scholl!
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MAJ (Join to see)
Um, no....No way am I dressing an animal. Or filleting a fish for that matter. I'll kill dinner and even cook it, but dress it? No.
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MAJ (Join to see)
I get enough anatomy on the job and it's hard work. I'd rather just cook it. http://www.squidoo.com/top-10-books-for-kids-wanting-to-be-a-vet
Top 10 Books for Kids wanting to be a Vet
For a great deal of my boy-hood years I wanted to be Veterinarian. I always remember how difficult it was to find information on what a vets life was actually like and what it took to qualify for the training (remember this was long before the age of the computer and search engines such as Google).
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