The theme that I found most interesting from watching the show Rescue Me was the focus on the portrayal of the firefighters from 9/11. The firehouse we’re shown contains men who embody many exaggerated, stereotypical male qualities; more often the flaws of the male gender than the highlights. These characters, in between seducing and gambling, are heroes who save lives and perform selfless acts. It almost seems as though they must compensate for the absolute courage and selflessness that they must demonstrate on a daily basis. It’s this combination of hero and human that must be remembered when thinking about the firefighters who saved lives on 9/11.
Though no one questions the sacrifice these people made trying to save the lives of thousands of innocents, their actions after the terrorist attacks are simply those of everyday people. They make mistakes and have to deal with common issues just like everyone else. These firefighters are everyday people with flaws of their own, they are not the perfect individuals that they are made out to be when they die.
Mainly I have to agree with the comment made by a reporter from a business magazine, who states, “It's just that everyone they wrote about -- all 2,000 people -- were depicted as really nice, really devoted parents who came home every night at 5 p.m. to make dinner, play with the kids, never missed a soccer game, and proposed to their girlfriend in a really sweet, creative way. I would read these profiles every day and think, yeah right. Was everyone in the WTC a super amazing person?”. I understand that these people sacrificed themselves to save others and I am truly grateful for this, but that doesn’t mean we should make them into something other than what they actually are. Instead we should thank them for their sacrifice and ignore all the rest.
Very good point. What is the reason or origin of this common behavior, this tendency we "ordinary" people have to paint all firefighters, police, military personnel, etc. as "heroes" and perfect in every way? Or do we simply think it's more important to praise their bravery and sacrifice than it is to acknowledge their human fallibility?
ReplyDelete