One of the good things that came out of the tragic events of 9/11 is that heroism has reacquired some of its original luster. 

I’m not suggesting that a hostage can’t also be a hero.  Apparently Sen. John McCain behaved like one when he was a POW, volunteering to be beaten by the Vietnamese in order to spare the men in his charge.

In our society, we even call football players and Olympic skaters heroes, further confusing the issue.  The most you can say for some guy who’s looking to win the Super Bowl or a gold medal is that he’s a darn good athlete, and leave it at that. 

In the main, the 3,000 people who were massacred in Manhattan on September 11, 2001, were no more heroic than you or I.  On the other hand, the cops and the firemen, those who ran into the blazing infernos in order to rescue perfect strangers, were the ones who exhibited the requisite bravery and self-sacrifice to deserve the honor.