Why children should not make heroes of people they don't know:

http://www.pnj.com/story/news/2014/08/04/blues-pilots-named-probe-still-flying/13577719/

I'll bet there are families all over Pensacola with pictures of the Blues on their walls.
This is why parents should encourage their kids to not worship or make heroes out of anyone they do not know personally. Yes, that even includes cartoon characters like Wonder Woman, though Wonder Woman is less likely to let them down then real life characters.
Our heroes should be people we know- the fireman who lives down the street, our teachers or our fathers (my dad was and still is my number one hero, even though he's been dead for over 30 years now.)

Heroes you don't know let you down, they disappoint, and after all, they are just human beings.
Everyone involved in this scandal should have been replaced, not just the Commanding Officer. All these men are supposed to be officers and gentlemen. Apparently they are not.
They are an embarrassment to their uniforms.

A comment from the story posted 2 months ago.

CaptainTruth •
Is it really so shameful that highly dedicated professional service men and women be allowed a little release, considering the intense pressure they're under to master and maintain such precise aerobatic skills, so that the public can have a glimpse of what these magnificent machines and the men and women who fly them (and also those who maintain them) are capable of? Their lives are at risk every time they climb into the cockpit. As long as their shenanigans are light hearted and not victimizing anyone, cut them some slack.


Guest CaptainTruth •
Yeah and if people think this is bad, go check out the nose art on WWII fighters and bombers. The feminist today would have complete meltdowns if those existed on military aircraft in today's world.

Joanimaroni wrote:

A comment from the story posted 2 months ago.

CaptainTruth •
Is it really so shameful that highly dedicated professional service men and women be allowed a little release, considering the intense pressure they're under to master and maintain such precise aerobatic skills, so that the public can have a glimpse of what these magnificent machines and the men and women who fly them (and also those who maintain them) are capable of? Their lives are at risk every time they climb into the cockpit. As long as their shenanigans are light hearted and not victimizing anyone, cut them some slack.


Guest  CaptainTruth •
Yeah and if people think this is bad, go check out the nose art on WWII fighters and bombers. The feminist today would have complete meltdowns if those existed on military aircraft in today's world.

It's called hero worship for a reason.
Worship is always something that doesn't ask questions of the idols or people it chooses to deify.

Apparently the US Navy did not see what they did as light hearted shenanigans.  They removed Capt. McWherter from command for it. Since we have not ever been given the exact nature of what was done, I'll assume the Navy was shocked enough to take such a drastic action against one of their own. It just occurs to me that they might have punished everyone involved. The former navy judge advocate stated that if he had made the decision they would have received "adverse fitness reports (and subsequent discipline) that would probably have resulted in them getting out of the navy."  I'm surprised to see the News Journal have the courage to print the article- they will get a lot of blow-back from people like you.

And btw, the Blues aren't in a war zone. Just thought I'd point that out. They are aerial entertainers while they are on that team.
Society has learned a lot since WWII. A lot of the guys who flew in that war probably wouldn't have sat at a dining table with a Black person either.
That kind of stuff doesn't pass muster today. And that is for one reason only-it was wrong then and it's wrong today.

I love the Blue Angels. I have watched them all my life and I will continue to watch and admire their expertise. Nothing like seeing them fly over in formation....absolutely amazing.

There's nothing wrong with the team, there's something wrong with the present members of the team. I have seen them too and they are amazing pilots. There are a lot of amazing pilots in the Navy who would love to take their places and who might be more willing to live up to the standards an officer should maintain.
Apparently some of the present team were not willing to do that.

" Most of the images are photos or illustrations of unidentified male genitalia." Wth???

Firefighters generally prefer not to be called heroes. We get paid to do what most caring humans would do given the same opportunity. Of course, busting into a burning structure gets us labeled crazy alot. Lol

Gunz wrote:

Firefighters generally prefer not to be called heroes.  We get paid to do what most caring humans would do given the same opportunity.   Of course, busting into a burning structure gets us labeled crazy alot. Lol

Hey, Gunz!

So good to see you here.

Having been a fireman, I concur. (Not paid, though.)

Otter wrote:

http://www.pnj.com/story/news/2014/08/04/blues-pilots-named-probe-still-flying/13577719/

I'll bet there are families all over Pensacola with pictures of the Blues on their walls.  
This is why parents should encourage their kids to not worship or make heroes out of anyone they do not know personally. Yes, that even includes cartoon characters like Wonder Woman, though Wonder Woman is less likely to let them down then real life characters.
Our heroes should be people we know- the fireman who lives down the street, our teachers or our fathers (my dad was and still is  my number one hero, even though he's been dead for over 30 years now.)

Heroes you don't know let you down, they disappoint, and after all, they are just human beings.
Everyone involved in this scandal should have been replaced, not just the Commanding Officer. All these men are supposed to be officers and gentlemen. Apparently they are not.  
They are an embarrassment to their uniforms.

I could not possibly disagree with you more. Heroes you know and love have the power not only to disappoint you, but to betray and destroy your faith in family, in love, and in humanity.

riceme wrote:

Otter wrote:

http://www.pnj.com/story/news/2014/08/04/blues-pilots-named-probe-still-flying/13577719/

I'll bet there are families all over Pensacola with pictures of the Blues on their walls.  
This is why parents should encourage their kids to not worship or make heroes out of anyone they do not know personally. Yes, that even includes cartoon characters like Wonder Woman, though Wonder Woman is less likely to let them down then real life characters.
Our heroes should be people we know- the fireman who lives down the street, our teachers or our fathers (my dad was and still is  my number one hero, even though he's been dead for over 30 years now.)

Heroes you don't know let you down, they disappoint, and after all, they are just human beings.
Everyone involved in this scandal should have been replaced, not just the Commanding Officer. All these men are supposed to be officers and gentlemen. Apparently they are not.  
They are an embarrassment to their uniforms.

I could not possibly disagree with you more. Heroes you know and love have the power not only to disappoint you, but to betray and destroy your faith in family, in love, and in humanity.

Agree.... the closer to home the harder the fall....

Gunz and Eric, you guys are making an assumption I don't think everyone could do. Even if I disagree with some of your politics, Firemen are the one profession I would not mind my children making heroes of.  To me fire is the most frightening thing there is, and to risk your own life to save another really is not something that just  anyone would do either without being paid or with being paid. It takes an enormous amount of courage and an enormous amount of caring to be a fireman. I salute you gentlemen. You have a right to be proud of yourselves.

As for hero worship among families, yes, I know family members can let you down and disappoint you. But you know them better than you do a stranger. A stranger is far more likely to disappoint, especially when you choose your heroes because of their profession or the uniform they wear.
Like I said, my dad was my hero. He had a lot of flaws and I knew about them. My parents did not have the perfect marriage. They had financial problems, in-law problems, and the truth is they just were not "made for each other" as many couples seem to be. But through everything, he stayed and honored his word and took care of his children. And he gave up a life he loved because that life, even though it paid well monetarily, kept him away from his home and his kids.  That's the kind of person that should be considered a hero, not just someone who wears a uniform .
You all might disagree with me but I'll stick to my opinion that kids should have someone they know as a hero and not someone they just see wearing a nice uniform or flying a plane, and most certainly not some professional athlete.

I guess I had a different experience with the person I call my hero than some others have on here. I'm sorry that you have been let down by people close to you. It must be a terrible feeling.
I guess I'm very fortunate not to have experienced that with my dad. But that's why he will always be a hero to me.

Jesus is the only one that hasn't let me down....

Yep, totally disagree with you.

Otter wrote:

Gunz and Eric, you guys are making an assumption I don't think everyone could do. Even if I disagree with some of your politics, Firemen are the one profession I would not mind my children making heroes of.  To me fire is the most frightening thing there is, and to risk your own life to save another really is not something that just  anyone would do either without being paid or with being paid. It takes an enormous amount of courage and an enormous amount of caring to be a fireman. I salute you gentlemen. You have a right to be proud of yourselves.

As for hero worship among families, yes, I know family members can let you down and disappoint you. But you know them better than you do a stranger. A stranger is far more likely to disappoint, especially when you choose your heroes because of their profession or the uniform they wear.
Like I said, my dad was my hero. He had a lot of flaws and I knew about them. My parents did not have the perfect marriage. They had financial problems, in-law problems, and the truth is they just were not "made for each other" as many couples seem to be. But through everything, he stayed and honored his word and took care of his children.  That's the kind of person that should be considered a hero, not just someone who wears a uniform .
You all might disagree with me but I'll stick to my opinion that kids should have someone they know as a hero and not someone they just see wearing a nice uniform or flying a plane, and most certainly not some professional athlete.

The thought process of what/who is a 'hero' may be along the lines of the ageing/maturity process....you may not consider someone that is close to you (parents/grandparents etc.,) as being heroes at the time... but when some start down their own adult journeys in life there may come a time when a light comes on and you see and respect just exactly what those individuals did and/or were responsible for in raising/forming their children as adults.... It's not a perfect thought process in all cases but in many it's eye opening...

I do appreciate my dad more as I get older MW, that is true.
We can kind of come to realize more about what they went through as we age. He was part of the "greatest generation" as they call them and they had a lot of" stick-to-it-ness." Unfortunately, not much of that seems to have rubbed off on the generations after them.

I agree completely, age can teach us a lot.

Hero is an over used word. Someone can be an inspiration or a role model without being a hero. Heroes for the most part sacrifice themselves for others. I wonder how a firefighters family deals with the loss of their husband or father who puts their lives and his own behind a strangers....interesting dynamic.

Otter wrote:

I do appreciate my dad more as I get older MW, that is true.
We can kind of come to realize more about what they went through as we age. He was part of the "greatest generation" as they call them and they had a lot of" stick-to-it-ness." Unfortunately, not much of that seems to have rubbed off on the generations after them.

I agree completely, age can teach us a lot.

Meant that more in a general sense not a specific as you accurately pointed out that there are circumstances where not always perfect...heck not even good.... Agree about the greatest generation and the more that I've taken to study and learn about that era the more (if possible) that I've been impressed....

Sadly... we are a culture that doesn't honor/respect our elders as other cultures do...of course as you age you see things differently...

Perhaps parents shouldn't assume that because a person is in a respectable high level profession that they have a high moral standard and can be trusted with your kids

I'm not sure it's about hero worship as much as it may be a assumption of high integrity comes along with a successful career

TEOTWAWKI wrote:

Hero is an over used word. Someone can be an inspiration or a role model without being a hero. Heroes for the most part sacrifice themselves for others. I wonder how a firefighters family deals with the loss of their husband or father who puts their lives and his own behind a strangers....interesting dynamic.

I'd hope they would be sad but extremely proud. I had an uncle who was a firefighter and he lived with constant bronchial problems. This was back in the 50's and 60's before they had respirators and all the safety equipment they have now. I was always impressed that he was a fireman, even when I was a kid.
It's a job someone has to do. I will freely admit that I don't have that kind of courage. If it were a child of mine or a family member, maybe. But to do what they do for strangers is awesome.

*~Tree~* wrote:

Perhaps parents shouldn't assume that because a person is in a respectable high level profession that they have a high moral standard and can be trusted with your kids

I'm not sure it's about hero worship as much as it may be a assumption of high integrity comes along with a successful career

That's a good thought tree. I agree with you completely.

Hey- it can happen!!
Americans especially admire successful people and tend to equate their success with both hard work and integrity, and it may just not always be the case.