Andy On Heroism

Andy Rooney Explains Why Most Heroes Are Unlikely

(CBS)  My mind wanders and it's a good thing it does because if my mind didn't wander, it wouldn't go anywhere at all.

When Captain Chesley Sullenberger - called just "Sully" - rescued those people on board his plane, landing it safely in the Hudson River recently, everyone agreed Sully was a hero.

We don't have many heroes these days because there isn't much opportunity to be a hero and most people aren't usually heroic anyway. Being heroic means doing something that risks your own life while you're saving someone else's. That's why Sully is a hero.

In World War II we had a lot of heroes because there were a lot of opportunities to be heroic. I was a reporter for The Stars and Stripes and I saw a lot of heroes.

One of the best stories I ever had to write was about a hero named Maynard Smith. He was called "Snuffy" Smith because he had an undistinguished personality and no one thought there was anything at all heroic about Snuffy until the day he saved the lives of six of the men on board his B17 after it was hit by German fighter planes.

Like "Snuffy" Smith, most heroes are unlikely. They aren't heroic on purpose.

As a reporter I was at the base when Snuffy's B17 came in and I wrote Snuffy's story. He was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor and I was proud of my part in that. Just being there when he got back made me the hero at my newspaper.

War is civilization at its worst and it's a strange twist that there's more heroism at war than at any other time. Men do things for each other at war that they'd never think of doing for each other in peace. Why is that?

We all must have the same attributes we've always had but I guess people don't have the opportunity to be heroic in peace as they do in war. It's an awful thought that there's anything at all good about war.

[pbr90king]

The question of whether heroes are born or made has occupied philosophers for many a century, and may well be the anchor of nonprofits that aim to influence others upon which their tax exempt status is founded.

For men or women for whom money rewards are simply not enough, motivation and engagement in society (other than for power) is likely to be the result of moral training that emphasizes moral leadership as heroism, and therefore, heroes are made, not born, nor accidental. To be sure, there are a number of accidental heroes who choose to put the needs of others over their own in emergency circumstances, and they are often rewarded for such courage, bravery, and personal altruism. But if mankind had to depend upon such circumstances to define heroism, there would be little evidence to rely upon since those occurrences are few and far between, and may well not be publicized.

The would be hero, however, are those with training that emphasizes the needs of others as well as the greater good so that actions are guided by more than happenstance and accidental assignments. For jealousy, or otherwise, few achieve the status of heroism because it is either expected as a part of their jobs, or because people are insensitive to the fact that heroism demands some measure of personal sacrifice by having to give up some form of self indulgence to accomplish, something that wasn't evident or present in the bail out phenomena thrust upon America, or in the efforts to save those who become homeless through foreclosures.

Self esteem that depends upon rote routine of socially recognized goodness rarely rises to the level of heroism, despite the effort to characterize it as such. Intentional heroism, therefore, is the very rare bird it should be that attempts to feed either power or grace interpreted as power.

Ordinary heroes are found, therefore, in every nook and cranny where they might be unexpected, even among journalists who brave the waters of dissent in an attempt to remind people what real morality stands for.

If Americans forget who their heroes are, or how they came to be looked upon as heroes, and accepts with blind faith that status, there is little guide to produce those who have it within them to offer such gracious effort on their part, and the training of heroism or heroes disapates into the emptiness of nothing. Heroes can be made, and the attempt to do so is never wasted effort. We must, because the alternative is pure self indulgence which amounts to the recognized heroism of the one who elevates himself, and anticipates elevation by all society to serve his own needs. That is deity-glorification, not heroism. When every man is made into his own deity by his own choice, there can be no morality within the traditional sense of the word. In that, the beatitudes are very useful checks on reality, their true function.

While the world needs heroes, it is much more likely to benefit from heroic-minded persons than heroes to unleash the hero in everyone.

[NatalieVolk]

"I disagree with putting CPT Sully in the same rank as real heroes. "

Come on! the guy is a real hero! He saved the lives of 155 people. If you have a family member in the passengers flying on that plane, wouldn`t you say that? Let's vote for a hero:
http://www.ournewamericanhero.com

[DGButler555]

Mr Rooney,
Years ago I was one of your biggest fans; I hardly ever missed your comments. A few months ago I started disagreeing with you so often that I decided not to watch you anymore, but somehow the TV was on and I watched your comments on how there aren't any more heroes, and how they only appear during wars.

Sir, you are so wrong. Thousands of people risk their own lives each day when they put on their military uniforms, firefighting clothes, or police clothes, or EMT, or SWAT or HASMAT just to mention a few. They are ready to risk their own lives for a good cause.

You really hurt my feeling when you said, "There are no more heroes." A while ago one of my own sons was called during the middle of the night and was told there had been a cave in at another coal mine (Crandle Canyon, Huntington, Utah) across the valley. He put on his clothes and went directly to help them get out. Mind you, he has a wife and 4 kids of his own. He worked almost non-stop for the next few weeks in a crappy, dangerous, coal mine, trying to rescue men he didn't really know. Shortly before the second deadly cave in many of the senior miners refused to go underground because of the continual "bumps". My son kept on working, many times shifts which lasted over 14 hrs each, still holding out hope that the men would be found alive.

Then the second tragedy happened, another deadly cave in. This time it was his crew. He was blown to the ground and covered in falling coal. He still didn't run away to save his own life, he worked to save his fellow miners. To make a long story short, three more miners were killed and many injured. My son, and every single person who worked to rescue the trapped coal miners are heroes for their involvement in this disaster.

Mr. Rooney you are wrong on at least two points of your story.
1. There ARE still heroes, and they live all around us.
2. YOU are NOT a hero for writing a newspaper article. no matter if your newspaper liked your story or not.

It's time for 60 minutes to take you off the air.

[maoriora]

Thanks so much Andy for everything through the years. I may have missed early services a Sunday or two but I was religious about catching the late service in which you have had such a key part. Beannacht De leat.

[edallison]

Does Andy really understand heroism? Snuffy Smith was awarded the CMH for his actions in the mighty 8TH AF and deserved it. However Andy my not know why he got the medal and what happened in later life to Smith. He was the first to get a CMH in the 8th. At the time the brass was looking for anyone who could meet the criteria for the medal because they didn't have one yet. Snuffy was the first to do something that was recorded to be worthy of the medal. For the remainder of hid duties in the 8th he was given preferential treatment. After the war he had been so accustomed to being treated like a hero that he contrived a situation where he could repeat his exploits. He paid a woman to pretend that she was to commit suicide so he could have everyone think that he had convinced her to reconsider. He crawled out onto this ledge where the woman was to supposedly jump from, and talked her back inside. He was a hero once again until thew woman confessed that it was a set up. Snuffy Smith was someone that got addicted to heroism and was indignant in his efforts to duplicate the results. The occasions to be a hero are many, most often there is no one looking. It's the real hero that does so is with out fanfare and is truly deserving of the title, and only to himself.

[PaPaGA]

Where have the Heros Gone? If you read "The Corporal Was a Pitcher: The Courage of Lou Brissie" you find out about one of them. Lou Brissie was badly injurefd in WW2, his leg nearly blown off. He endured 23 operations then came back to play in the majors, even made the All Star team! He was and is a hero and a role model to everyone who feels overwhelmed by the challemnges in their own lives. Lou Brissie is my hero.

[decrais]

(Post Edit)

Andy On Heroism,

Andy, your mind is wandering alright, from one cliché to the next. "We haven't had many heroes since WWII", the "greatest generation." We can't let these neat little phrases and terms distract us from the truly heroic warriors from Korea to Afghanistan to 9/11.
I hope your commentray was an error of omission because as you read this there is probably another hero sacrificing his life for others in Iraq or Afghanistan.

Are we truly a grateful nation?

-David Crais

[decrais]

Andy On Heroism,

Andy, your mind is wandering alright, from one cliché to the next. ?We haven?t had many heroes since WWII?, the ?greatest generation.? We can?t let these neat little phrases and terms distract us from the truly heroic warriors from Korea to Afghanistan and 9/11. I hope your commentary was an error of omission because as you read this there is probably another hero sacrificing his life for others in Iraq or Afghanistan.

Are we truly a grateful nation?

David Crais

[Engine20]

Mr. Rooney, loved your story on Snuffy Smith and Heroes. I am 44 and are well aware of the sacrifices your generation made during and after the war and am truly gratefull. I wish you story on Snuffy could be shown in all the schools so maybe the next generation wont forget what you and your generation did for us and this country. Please keep your World War 2 stories coming. Would love to see one on the Ploesti (spelling?) oil field raids and those airmen who flew and served in the unattractive and unloved B-24's. They and the B-24 are always left out of the picture. The B-24 had more range, more speed, could carry a larger payload and was produced in more numbers than the B-17 but was just plain homely. Something I can relate to........ Keep up the good work !! PS would also like you to complain/do a story about cell phone chargers. I cant understand why not just every brand, but every model has its own configuration. Even if you buy a new phone of the same make you just had, nothing is compatible. What a scam!!!!! There should be one standardized plug :0

[kjfjfk]

By Mr. Rooney's definition --- Captain Scully is not a hero. He did not risk his own life to save others --- his life was on the line with everyone else on that plane --- but his training, professionalism and dedication saved everyone.

Captain Scully has found it difficult to consider himself a hero--- he was doing what he had spent almost 30 yrs training to do.

While Scully's feat was dramatic and awe-inspiring, the subjects of the preceding story on the falacies of eyewitness testimony were also heroic. Both the woman and the detective were not only able to admit that they had made a mistake, but made the admission in public not only whispered in a closed room. Moreover, Mr. Cotton was able to work with his former accuser to make sure others do not share the fate of years of unjust imprisonment.

Heroism comes in many forms --- thank you for presenting the spectrum of courage.

The subjects of the preceding story of the errors made by eyewitnesses

[revfrhoy]

I like Andy Rooney, but his remarks on heroism miss the mark. Three local heroes come to mind:
Miriam Reel, who just passed away at age 89 who founded Friendship Ministries many years ago. She enabled low income persons to achieve a better life through their own efforts and abilities.

Rob Kerney who is blind. He founded a ministry called Blind Faith to help religious organizations to work with visually challenged persons. In addition to this he is President and the leader in setting up a local non-profit that will enable persons with disabilites to live independently.

Then again, in downtown Evansville, Indiana where I live there is a wonderful piece of sculpture. A Schriner is carrying a small child with a physical disability. It is aptly titled, "Editorial Without Words."

[ramboxxxxx]

I disagree with putting CPT Sully in the same rank as real heroes. Today everyone that does good is quickly labeled a hero. A hero is a person who risks his/her life to save others. Did CPT Sully risk his life? He did his job and saved his own life, I am not saying he does not deserve to be honored, but not as a hero. I am sure he will agree.

[SmrWine69]

Mr. Rooney, I faithfully watch your commentaries, and I want to tell you that I do admire you tremendously. However, I am complete disagreement with you when you ask Where Have All Our Heroes Gone, and specifically your comment, "...I guess people don't have the opportunity to be heroic in peace...."

My brother and several of my friends are police officers. Others in my family have served in the military, been fire fighters, 911 dispatchers, and other emergency services. These are our UNSUNG heroes. They have thankless, dangerous jobs and no one recognizes them unless there's a major catastrophe.

Further, EVERY SINGLE DAY I see awesome heroism in "ordinary people" in our country: the woman who grabs a child's arm before she steps into the street in front of a car; a pastor kneeling visiting his parishioners who can't get out to attend church; my best friend taking the high road with her manic, crazed ex-husband and stiill somehow finding a way to allow him to (undeservedly, I might add) see his children. I see groundskeepers, custodial workers, construction workers, truck drivers, lawn-mowing teenagers, ELDERLY folks---all of whom are heroes.

I suppose you, like many others, consider the Korean WAR to be the Korean CONFLICT. My father served in the Korean War. He is my biggest hero.

Taking the high road, doing what's right even though it's not what's easiest, caring enough to try to make our country better -- even in the smallest of ways -- is more heroism than I see in many of our nation's leaders, television personalities, and news broadcasters.

What heroic act did YOU perform TODAY?

Respectfully,
Janice Faurie
Canyon Lake, TX

Mr. Rooney, why must we suggest that soldiers are only "heroes" when they perform extraordinary feats while under fire? (And then, offer that credit somewhat reluctantly?) I believe you'd expand your definition, if you read "Afghan Journal - A Soldier's Year in Afghanistan" by Jeffrey Courter.

Indeed, the fact that today's soldiers actually VOLUNTEER to leave their families behind for months on end, and constantly risk their lives under the most onerous circumstances - all in the name of protecting our right to debate about the relative merits of "heroic" acts, is enough for me to give all of our soldiers the benefit of the doubt.

Soldiers lead by example, Mr. Rooney.

[rushlimpdrug]

"We don't have many heroes these days because there isn't much opportunity to be a hero and most people aren't usually heroic anyway."


Gee, how soon we forget about 9/11

[pdchapin]

Heroism is not about the choice to sacrifice oneself for others. Heroism is the courage to stand up and do the right thing, no matter how difficult the task or threatening the opposition. That is why Captain Sully is honored. That is why anyone who stands up against the bad, the corrupt and the threatening and takes the right actions is heroic, whether celebrated or not.

-------
Your logic is flawed. In doing the right thing "no matter how .. threatening the opposition" then you are talking about somebody willing to run a risk for the greater good, which is pretty much how Andy defines it. Heroism is accepting personal risk for someone else's good. The more risk and the less it personally benefits you the more heroic.

While I admire Scully's skill, I wouldn't call it heroic. He was as busy saving his own life as anybody else's. He would have done the same thing if nobody had been on board. If he could have put the plane in the river nose high and increased his chance of survival as the expense of the passengers, a decision not to do so would have been heroic. However, aircraft landings are usually an all or nothing kind of thing.

[iamboots1]

At least Andy didn't mention the collaborator John McCain as a "war hero".

[jmjbof]

andy, i left you the story of terry calandra. from all of these comments, you have received a lot of flack. you , in your commentary dismissed literally thousands of real life heros per your viewers. please , don't you of cbs be the next ones to dismiss the act of herosim performed by this man. i can connect you to his friend who has collected all the verifiable info to do a story or a commentary on terry and hopefully sens spector and casey might see a photo op in their future by jumping on a live terry caladra bandwagon.

[atlasshrugg1]

Upon listening to Mr. Rooney's remarks, I wondered: Why is Mr. Rooney's idea of the hero focused only on destruction? And why is Mr. Rooney's definition of a hero founded on self-sacrifice? The first question answers the second. If one holds the altruist morality that one should live/die for others, one's idea of the heroic will follow suit.

But on a realistic view of the heroic, one can readily see numerous instances of heroism in our culture, past and present. The heroic refers to actions that are exceptional in their current and long-term beneficial consequences. So, one thinks first and foremost of those who have extended and amplified our knowledge and enjoyment of life, such as novelist/philosopher Ayn Rand and philosopher Leonard Peikoff, scientists such as Thomas Edison and Jonas Salk, businessmen such as John Allison, Yarron Brook and Fred Smith, statesmen such as Thomas Jefferson, and so forth.

Heroism is not about the choice to sacrifice oneself for others. Heroism is the courage to stand up and do the right thing, no matter how difficult the task or threatening the opposition. That is why Captain Sully is honored. That is why anyone who stands up against the bad, the corrupt and the threatening and takes the right actions is heroic, whether celebrated or not.

Sincerely,
Sylvia Bokor

[hagar39]

I think we still have hero's. What we might not have are great reporters.
Two of my biggest hero's? Firefighters, and people in the Coast Guard who save lives.
War? WWII was different from all other wars the USA has fought. WW II we were defending the USA. The other wars, battles, conflicts, invasions, etc. were not the same. I'm not going to get into a bebate why. I think most people will know. Want hero's? Read some of the small daily newspapers on line.