I hadn’t really thought about it in these terms before. Perhaps it is because I wore a uniform for more than twenty years. And maybe it is because I have a son wearing an Army uniform, another wearing a Marine uniform, and yet another wearing a police uniform.
Heroism is a matter of perspective. I remember seeing video all over television when a disgruntled client attacked a lawyer outside a courthouse in California. Dozens of cameramen and reporters were there to film and comment on the scene, but not one rushed to intercede. The assailant had a small caliber pistol, so perhaps they were right in staying out of the way. As a military man, however, my first thought was, “Take that man down and disarm him! Don’t stand there filming! Stop the attack!”
To me, doing such a thing isn’t in the realm of heroism. It is a matter of duty as a human being.
Our military is made up of people who think in such terms. They are doing something heroic every day, although neither they nor I recognize it as anything other than doing their duty. To expect the same of a civilian–reporter–is simply too much.
Sarah discusses this in terms of having watched Under Orders, Under Fire. I recommend each of you do the same.