[BBC News] Trainee Pc praised for sea rescue

[Juan C]

Thanks Dolce Vita. Interesting twist. What is heroism. Is it doing the irrational without thinking or is it doing the irrational with thinking. True heroism is doing the act because despite the risks, you know it is the right thing to do and do it regardless. The needs of others outweigh the needs of yourself. This leads onto the most recent news item regarding the Manx soldier wining a medal for combat in Afghanistan. Is he a hero? I say yes. I met the man. I found him to be an unassuming pleasant man and clearly a man who had found himself in a predicament and was forced to finish it in a most decisive manner. Was he a hero, did he have a choice? Yes!

 

His actions were obviously witnessed by others but despite the risks he led by example and went forward when others may have chosen to stay put.

 

It is often difficult for those who have never been in the situation to make sense of the situation and the choice of on the spot decisions. Most criticisms tend to come from those who have the comfort of hindsight and who are not having to to make decisions in the heat of the moment. The colleague on the beach, if he had a choice would probably be supported his colleague. As stated "he went in alone in the dark". Its about choice. Had he died trying would you be saying hero or fool? He made a choice in the moment and chose to try and save a life. Its a calculated risk and he calculated correctly. Give him credit. As for the local police, Dolce Vita? how many stories do you want? There are always reported incidents on a regular basis.

 

I'm sorry but my glass is always half full and I have found that most people, whatever their profession set out to give the best possible service. Sometimes they or their organisation let them down, but most want to do the right thing. That is what makes us human. Bring it on!

[La_Dolce_Vita]

It is an issue that I discussed with P.K. in an earlier Afghanistan thread. But I cannot see heroism being much other than a highly subjective term. The act or person who carried out the act has to be seen to be doing good or working for the greater good in the eyes of the person using the term. And the term is usually associated with acts of braveness. It isn't an word I refer to people very often and can think of few people who are my heroes or would refer to them as such. I admire greatly many things, including acts of little significance in outcome but of great bravery. Nevertheless, I hesitate to use the word hero.

 

I just see this as an act of goodness and one marked by bravery. If he died I would say neither fool nor hero, but certainly not a fool. It was the right thing to do.

 

As for the local police, Dolce Vita? how many stories do you want? There are always reported incidents on a regular basis.

Maybe of acts of some bravery. But it would take someone who liked the police to call their acts heroism. Surely there are examples of when they have undertaken tasks of bravery and selflessness, but the nature of the work in toto and the reason for their existence preclude any attribution of the term hero.

 

I'm sorry but my glass is always half full and I have found that most people, whatever their profession set out to give the best possible service. Sometimes they or their organisation let them down, but most want to do the right thing. That is what makes us human. Bring it on!

From my perspective, if people wanted to do what is right they wouldn't be in the police force in the first place. And then we have the matters of what people do in paid work, which would get us into a completely different area of things because I would have to ask what does 'right' mean? But a good thing to be is an optimist as you say you are.

[Juan C]

For some reason I tend to to notice your comments over others Dolce vita. Sometimes you hit the button that winds me up, but i enjoy the challenges of different points of view. I like the idea of what makes a hero/bravest person/ admirer. What makes people tick. Who do they aspire to be and why? Perhaps a course for another thread?

 

An interesting point though you make, if others perceive you do a dangerous job, are you expected to take risks? And if you do are you just doing a job or is it even noteworthy?

[La_Dolce_Vita]

An interesting point though you make, if others perceive you do a dangerous job, are you expected to take risks?

Such as in this case? Well it is a police officer. His role in society is not really one of the hero who would normally come to the aid of just someone in trouble, in the sense that their role is more specific. I personally assume that this action was taken based on the character, conscience, and capabilities of the man. It may in fact be somewhat reflective of his former role in the armed forces. Would you agree?

 

I like the idea of what makes a hero/bravest person/ admirer.

I find it an interesting thing. Why do people call others their heroes and who do they chose to name as their heroes. I don't have any heroes, yet I admire many people and recognise what they do.

 

For some reason I tend to to notice your comments over others Dolce vita.

Probably because I post too much.

[Celt]

view to the heroism

 

My view on Heroism is you choose to make a difference.

 

You either walk away or help. You don't have to be in the Police force to do that as it happens to lots of people every day.

 

 

The guy had a uniforn on, so what. I think he would have done it anyway as a good person.

 

 

Well Done imo.

[Gladys]

Just to clarify, I do not agree with the contrary view I put forward, but just repeating a comment I overheard. I have to say I was quite surprised as I think anyone in a similar stuation who had reasonable confidence in their own physical ability to assist would, and probably should, have done the same.

 

I often put forward the view that the main thing wrong with our society now is that people just do not take responsiblity for their own actions, preferring to leave it to the nebulous 'them'. Acts of this sort show that there are still people who want to take responsibility not only for their actions but also the consequences of them.

[Nitro]

Well done, however in a world where a health and safety assessment is needed before every task, had it not gone the same way he could've landed himself in trouble.

[theman]

Trainee Pc praised for sea rescue.. but did the motherbord get wet?

[Albert Tatlock]

I often put forward the view that the main thing wrong with our society now is that people just do not take responsiblity for their own actions, preferring to leave it to the nebulous 'them'. Acts of this sort show that there are still people who want to take responsibility not only for their actions but also the consequences of them.

Ironically - in preferring to leave it to the nebulous 'them' - the 'them' ARE generally the police these days. Fewer people as once did are willing to take responsibility for their community. It would be interesting to know just how many observers did 'nothing' at the time of the incident and before this PC arrived.

[MilitantDogOwner]

What is heroism.

 

A bit of a corny one....

 

John Rambo (from the film Rambo) sums it up nicey...."Live for nothing or die for something".

[La_Dolce_Vita]

Are suicide bombers in Palestine heroes then? What about the 9/11 terrorists?

[Bananaman]

Profoundly is too strong a word but it certainly seem that the Police have to make the peace rather than keep it hey?

[MilitantDogOwner]

Are suicide bombers in Palestine heroes then? What about the 9/11 terrorists?

 

Clearly not.

 

They are spineless cowards who took the lives of innocents to futher their religious and political agenda.

 

And before you compare British Forces to those cowardly f*&k bag suicide bombers, the difference is the boys are they in a uniform fighting a enemy face to face. Not blowing up his wife and kids in a shopping centre.

 

How you can compare the bravery and heroism of the PC to suicide t*£ts just boils my blood.

[ans]

Point of view surely. To their supporters, they are undoubtedly heroes and martyrs.

[MilitantDogOwner]

Not really. Indiscriminant suicide bombing against innocent women and children not in a war zone is the lowest form of warfare in my opinion. That and child soldiers.