In a recent editorial from an upstate newspaper citizens were asked to note the heroes of the recent snowstorm here in the First State. The heroes being "those hundreds of Delawareans who secured safe passage for the rest of us" during the storm. My intention is not to denigrate their efforts. But, to raise their efforts to the level of heroic denigrates those who by Webster's definition are: one who demonstrates great courage.
The editorial writer would have us believe those who assisted with roadside rescues, manning shelters, repairing utilities, left home to staff emergency rooms or hung around school for late arriving parents should be honored for their sacrifice for the rest of us. I maintain what they were doing in most cases cited by the writer was...their job. I also maintain, and hope it's true, that most of these individuals are embarrassed to be labeled heroes by a member of the media that increasing finds it necessary to hype almost anything that in years past was simply part of daily living. Snowstorms happened. Drought happened. Floods happened. People reacted accordingly and never thought their actions made them heroes.
The true heroes are those who fall on a grenade to save their fellow soldiers, risk their lives to help a helpless animal in peril, or a stranger in a burning car. They embody: one who demonstrates great courage.
The media news anchors, talking heads and writers do a great disservice to the true heroes by their incessant need to find a "hero" in almost every occurrence. They should be ashamed, because they do this for the sole self serving purpose of enhancing their story.
Steve Hyle
Lewes
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