presenting the most courageous person in America

[SmarterthanYou]

Miss Elizabeth Smart.


http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,558548,00.html

for having the strength to confront and testify against the beast who raped her for 9 months.

[blackascoal]

Miss Elizabeth Smart.


http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,558548,00.html

for having the strength to confront and testify against the beast who raped her for 9 months.

Although I celebrate her escape and courage to testify against the monster who abducted her .. there are far more courageous people in America risking their lives everyday here and in our made-up wars.

[DamnYankee]

If she was black she's be the bravest though, right?

[SmarterthanYou]

Although I celebrate her escape and courage to testify against the monster who abducted her .. there are far more courageous people in America risking their lives everyday here and in our made-up wars.

I give this title with all of that in mind. I have to consider her age when she was abducted and the 9 months of hell that went along with it when attributing her courage and strength to not only survive, but to recover like she has.

[blackascoal]

I give this title with all of that in mind. I have to consider her age when she was abducted and the 9 months of hell that went along with it when attributing her courage and strength to not only survive, but to recover like she has.

Don't get me wrong my friend .. I SERIOUSLY applaud her and it's terrible what she had to go through.

I may be a bit biased given that I have a daughter in the military who has already been through two tours in IRaq .. and scheduled to go back in December .. and I've been through two tours of nightmares and scheduled for more come December.

Pardon my bias.

[SmarterthanYou]

Don't get me wrong my friend .. I SERIOUSLY applaud her and it's terrible what she had to go through.

I may be a bit biased given that I have a daughter in the military who has already been through two tours in IRaq .. and scheduled to go back in December .. and I've been through two tours of nightmares and scheduled for more come December.

Pardon my bias.

completely understood considering I also served. kudos and much respect both to you and your daughter. may you both come home victorious and in one piece.

[cawacko]

There isn't really a need to determine the "most" courageous but I think we can agree those fighting overseas and Elizabeth Smart all rank at the top of the list.

[DamnYankee]

... I have a daughter in the military...

Pardon my bias.

Bingo.

[blackascoal]

completely understood considering I also served. kudos and much respect both to you and your daughter. may you both come home victorious and in one piece.

I knew you'd understand my momentary dementia.

Thank you brother.

[blackascoal]

There isn't really a need to determine the "most" courageous but I think we can agree those fighting overseas and Elizabeth Smart all rank at the top of the list.

That's what I should have said.

[Lowaicue]

There isn't really a need to determine the "most" courageous but I think we can agree those fighting overseas and Elizabeth Smart all rank at the top of the list.

Is it courageous to join a system in which you simply do as you are told? Whatever the circumstances it takes more courage to say 'No' than to blindly follow. Of course there are soldiers, sailors and airmen who are extremely courageous but, as with any other section of society, there are cowards and there are heroes.
I'm sorry but the statement, 'He/she/I/you served one/two/three tours of duty is pretty meaningless in the 'courage' stakes.
'I was captured and refused to tell my captors under threats and torture.' is pretty courageous.
Not wishing to offend.

[WinterBorn]

Is it courageous to join a system in which you simply do as you are told? Whatever the circumstances it takes more courage to say 'No' than to blindly follow. Of course there are soldiers, sailors and airmen who are extremely courageous but, as with any other section of society, there are cowards and there are heroes.
I'm sorry but the statement, 'He/she/I/you served one/two/three tours of duty is pretty meaningless in the 'courage' stakes.
'I was captured and refused to tell my captors under threats and torture.' is pretty courageous.
Not wishing to offend.

I disagree with you. Anyone is the military today is there because they voluntarily joined.

I cannot think of any other career which tells you that you may die doing your job. And that you dying may actually be expected of you.

Yes, they are required to blindly follow orders (within reason). But that is the nature of the system. And that system is what it is because of what they do.

Free choice is great when you are talking about stocking grocery shelves, teaching school, or selling stocks. But when the job involves facing enemy fire, "free choice" is not an option. Who in their right mind would choose to face enemy fire? But by maintaining the integrity of the unit, casualties are kept lower.

It takes great courage to sign up for a job that pays less than almost any other and in which you can expect to face significant dangers.

[Lowaicue]

I disagree with you. Anyone is the military today is there because they voluntarily joined.

I cannot think of any other career which tells you that you may die doing your job. And that you dying may actually be expected of you.

Yes, they are required to blindly follow orders (within reason). But that is the nature of the system. And that system is what it is because of what they do.

Free choice is great when you are talking about stocking grocery shelves, teaching school, or selling stocks. But when the job involves facing enemy fire, "free choice" is not an option. Who in their right mind would choose to face enemy fire? But by maintaining the integrity of the unit, casualties are kept lower.

It takes great courage to sign up for a job that pays less than almost any other and in which you can expect to face significant dangers.

With respect there are several careers for which members must show extreme courage. Firemen, Lifeboat crews, Miners, steeplejacks, and many more.
Of course there are courageous soldiers but my point is that it does not necessarily follow that service equals courage.
I, for a time many years ago, was a member of one of the above. I did not consider myself courageous. I sometimes thought I was bloody stupid but never courageous. Courage, I think, is subjective. It takes huge amounts of courage for some people to stand before an audience. I find it no problem.
It's the old 'blanket statement' problem with a sprinkling of political correctness.

[WinterBorn]

With respect there are several careers for which members must show extreme courage. Firemen, Lifeboat crews, Miners, steeplejacks, and many more.
Of course there are courageous soldiers but my point is that it does not necessarily follow that service equals courage.
I, for a time many years ago, was a member of one of the above. I did not consider myself courageous. I sometimes thought I was bloody stupid but never courageous. Courage, I think, is subjective. It takes huge amounts of courage for some people to stand before an audience. I find it no problem.
It's the old 'blanket statement' problem with a sprinkling of political correctness.

Any person in any branch of the military may find themselves on the front lines with a gun in their hand. Not by choice, but because that is the game that they play. I submit that it takes courage to join up at all.

And I agree that Firemen, lifeboat crews, miners, steeplejacks and more require courage (or a choice to make money). Many of the careers that are dangerous get paid more than other careers. Miners make a good living for manual labor. Soldiers make diddly for their dangerous job. People become miners or steeplejacks for the money. No one joins the military for the paycheck.

[uscitizen]

There are many very curageous people in america.
Take a person who chooses to care for a terminally ill parent? or a parent with altzheimers? Severey crippled or retarded? Those people wo do this day after day and only get crap and no thanks from the one they are caring for are some of the mostr curageous people I know of.

The only difference between bravery and foolhardiness in many cases is the reason for doing the act.

Climbing a mountain just to do it is not bravery. Doing it save some fool who is hurt up there is.