Why do Americans think the 9/11 victims are heroes?

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The thing is there were heroes. People who went into the towers knowing they were in danger or those who stopped their own progress to help people out. It's like with Flight 93, how do we know all the passengers helped to divert the plane? It's simply being generalised because we don't know every action of everyone who died. And no, no-one is saying the American lives lost were more important than any other lives during 9/11, it's sick to think anyone was worth more. Let's also not forget that we actually see the moment over 2000 people die when the towers fall. This is compared to numerous other incidents which happen over a matter of years or decades, which I don't think is appropriate.

Reply 61

anarchism101

Because in American imperial culture, everyone who gets killed by a US enemy is a hero automatically. As is anyone in the army (apart from Bradley Manning).

Reply 62

digitalfever

Propaganda to instill a sense of nationalism and pride... also to direct attention at the enemy.

Reply 63

Pindar

Because if you die because of the corporate foreign policy, the corporate owned media considers you cannon fodder worthy of being called heroic.

Reply 64

Texan88

I'm sorry I have never heard anyone other than the first responders referred to as "heros." Not a single time, poor bastards, poor souls, unfortunate, but never hero's. Stop trying to make up stupid crap just for the hell of it.

Reply 65

Zangoose

Well technically they were heroes if you look at it in the sense that if they hadn't died, the US government wouldn't have been able to build such a successful anti-Taliban/Bin Laden campaign and cover up their real motives.
So yes; the victims of 9/11 were the heroes because without them, the convoluted conspiracy wouldn't have worked quite as well.

(edited 12 years ago)

Reply 66

rawkus

Original post by john8765

No - just saying that you shouldn't allow yourself to be drawn to the idea that America is the angel in the "war on terror"..........that is all. I cetainly don't support the idea of killing Americans.

'America' is comprised of the US Government and presidential administration as well as the American people. The American Government provide support to Israel when their actions in the occupied territories are protested against, the American Government prop up repressive governments in the region etc. The American people do not. The American people, when it comes to voting, have a very narrow choice as to who they can vote for. Chances are that whether they tick Democrats or Republicans, similar choices will be made by both administrations. So you are right, 'America' in so far as the American Government are no angels in the war on terror. However explain why that in anyway goes towards justifying the loss of innocent life in 9/11? Why should these people have been the ones to pay for the actions of a few people whose view of reality is opinion polls and spread sheets showing the state of the economy? I would find it completely unjustified to be blown up on the underground as a result of the decisions made by William Hague or the rest of the foreign policy ministry. These people dont represent me or my views so why should I pay with my life or even limbs for their decisions?

Reply 67

Made in the USA

Original post by Le_Bow

Put aside the emergency workers who were killed trying to save lives, who are the others who died labelled as brave?

Since when did being killed equal bravery?

Is it just the Americans being Americans and throwing the word "hero" around?

I've ever heard 9/11 victims called heroes before, unless you are talking about the people on United Flight 93 who thwarted plans to crash the plane into an additional target. All 40 people aboard plus the 4 hijackers were killed but many lives ont he ground were likely saved.

Reply 68

cl_steele

this is just a guess but considering the 9/11 incident was 'an act of war' i guess theyre treated as any other soldier whose died for their country whether or not they did anything. Dieing for freedom and all that.

Reply 69

Marlena002

I always find it a bit sad that people get so down on us (Americans) for memorializing the people who died on 9/11. I hear criticism (mostly on message boards actually!) each year because we still hold the name reading ceremonies, etc. People always make the claim that 'Millions of people die in other countries and nobody cares or holds ceremonies for them...'

To this I just have to say, who are we hurting? This is our country and our people who died and this is how we choose to remember and honor them. If people in London decided to hold ceremonies honoring those who died on 7/7 that would be perfectly acceptable as well. People can choose to mourn any way they wish. Even if not every person who died in the towers displayed an act of courage, why does it hurt anybody to call them heroes? Those people who died on the planes or by making the choice to jump 100 floors to their death died in ways that most of us will never have to encounter.

Their families and friends are still alive and still very much mourning the tragic losses, just as anybody around the world mourns. As an American, I don't believe American lives are any more or less important than others.

Also as a side note - most of the American public is at this point against the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and have been for quite some time. We were never given the vote, Congress holds the power to declare war and as I'm sure many of you know, American politicians can't be trusted any more than UK or European politicians - how many of your government officials speak directly for you? They've made choices we don't agree with, they've killed innocent soldiers and Iraqi civilians, and we didn't. We're ordinary people who have no say in the matter other than an election every 4 years. Please don't presume that we all support the atrocities our government has committed overseas.