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Politics : View from the Center and Left -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: J. C. Dithers who wrote (46704)	1/24/2008 7:43:25 PM
From: Dale Baker	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 541957

Cho was probably a psycho so it's hard to characterize his motivation otherwise. I would split hairs by saying one definition of "bravery" is just being bold, having balls, etc. The other definition implies noble purposes and principles. Obviously, bad people doing heinous things don't qualify. But it takes a certain chutzpah to be sane and launch yourself into a suicidal attack.

To: J. C. Dithers who wrote (46704)	1/24/2008 7:45:18 PM
From: epicure	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 541957

Why wouldn't they be brave? Brave but crazy? Brave but horribly misguided? Bravery entails h: cour·age /'k?r?d?, 'k?r-/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[kur-ij, kuhr-] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation –noun 1. the quality of mind or spirit that enables a person to face difficulty, danger, pain, etc., without fear; bravery. Having courage I have no idea why you would think folks willing to kill themselves (or encountering others who want to kill them), while on a mission (a mission we don't approve of), aren't brave. They aren't a "good" kind of brave- but brave they most certainly seem to be. They face death, danger and pain- dunno what else you want. Doesn't make them what we'd call "decent" people- no more than Atilla, but I'm not calling them cowards- cause that would be silly.

To: J. C. Dithers who wrote (46704)	1/24/2008 7:46:27 PM
From: Steve Lokness	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 541957

Do you believe that "bravery" is a fitting characterization of these persons and their actions? Do you think the Japanese thought the pilots of the planes that dropped the bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki were brave?

To: J. C. Dithers who wrote (46704)	1/24/2008 9:36:38 PM
From: Cogito	Read Replies (3) \| Respond to of 541957

JCD - I think it's important to look back at what Bill Maher actually said, and not to take his comments out of context. He was responding to people who called the 9/11 attackers cowards. His point was that shooting missiles at people from a safe distance requires less courage than piloting a plane into a building. I don't think Maher was expressing admiration for the 9/11 hijackers. He wasn't so much calling them brave as just saying that they couldn't really be called cowards. - Allen

To: J. C. Dithers who wrote (46704)	1/25/2008 7:59:19 AM
From: KonKilo	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 541957

I'm not taunting you, but simply suggesting that dry dictionary definitions are not always an adequate guide to appropriate word usage. Yes, I think that anyone who enters into an activity that will almost undoubtedly cost him his life, is by definition brave. This includes the heinous and depraved acts you listed. Bravery does not connote noble intentions. A better word for that might be courage. All IMO, and I understand why this view is controversial.