True Heroism to the Nth Degree

Photo from cnn.com

"The sacrifice of soldiers, ordinary men and women serving their country is enough to make them heroes..."
- Anderson Cooper, AC360 December 7, 2004

Recently, due to a missed flight connection, I got to spend several hours of "quality time" (grumble, grumble) at the Atlanta airport. While wandering around, I stumbled upon the airport's atrium which is a bright open area with comfy seats. As I sat there relaxing I looked up at the 2nd level to see American troops lined up in fatigues. A few minutes later they came parading through the atrium to a warm, round of applause. I teared up watching the fathers, sons, mothers, & daughters walk through with their heads held high.

Here I was, sitting there stewing about getting to my destination a day late but after watching probably 200 soldiers parade through that atrium headed to battle, I realized I had absolutely nothing to complain about. I agree with Anderson that "the sacrifice of soldiers, ordinary men and women serving their country is enough to make them heroes..." This quote is the tease Anderson did for an Nth Degree on True Heroism.

Here is the transcript and clip of the True Heroism Nth Degree.

Photo from cnn.com

Finally tonight, taking true heroism to the Nth Degree. When Pat Tillman, the pro ball player turned army ranger, was killed in Afghanistan the information the Pentagon released turned out to be less than accurate. The same thing happened with Jessica Lynch. Whether the Pentagon was deliberately misleading us all or not and we can't say one way or another, you have to ask by creating these grandiose stories that aren't true, what's the message they're sending? That it isn't enough to put a promising life on hold? Not enough to trade a football jersey for a soldier's uniform? Not enough to go to Afghanistan and die for your country?

Are they saying it's not enough to be badly injured in a terrible accident and then be captured and spend frightened weeks alone with the enemy? None of that is enough the Pentagon seems to think. To really make a splash, you have to do those things in Hollywood heroic style or at least so the story must gone even if it isn't true.

Tell you what, Department of Defense, Pat Tillman's death by friendly fire and Jessica Lynch's being limply dragged off without her guns blazing does not make them less honorable. To the contrary. We aren't that much more grateful for their sacrifices precisely because they are not action heroes, but ordinary men and women. There's no need to impress us with special effects and screenplay-style details. The truth of their service and of their sacrifice is impressive enough.

Maddie Madness

On a totally unrelated subject...Sheryn was watching Rick Sanchez's Out in the Open Friday night and he said "Anderson Cooper is going to be anchoring an hour-long special on the McCann case Monday, a closer look at the family and what might have happened that fateful night, with more reporting from Randi in England. Also, Gary Tuchman is now in Portugal. He is going to be filing stories for us on this story."

Will we get live Anderson? Sounds like it but we'll just have to wait and see.

Have a great Sunday!