Courage by Debralee Mede

This is dedicated to courageous people in all walks of life and especially the dedicated individuals who demonstrated such bravery and valiance during the vicious 9-11 terrorist attack on our country.    The dauntless heroism that they showed will always engender respect, praise and thanks in others, moving us to behave courageously ourselves with a desire to endure cynicism, reckless attacks and defeat. Most recently the US commemorated the fallen heroes who died on 9-11.  Special ceremonies were held across the country with the unveiling of structural elements of the World Trade Center that was attacked and destroyed by terrorists who also attempted to destroy the  Pentagon and either the White House or the U. S. Capitol.  These ceremonies and this anniversary have raised the question, for me, of what heroism and courage really are.

Civilians from over 70 countries were killed in these attacks, with a total of 2,995 casualties. Of those casualties about 292 people were killed at street level by burning debris and falling bodies of those who had jumped from the World Trade Center's windows; 343 New York City Fire Department, FDNY Fire Chaplain, Franciscan Fr. Mychal Judge, 23 New York City Police Department officers, and 37 Port Authority Police Department; and 15 EMTs.  They sacrificed their lives to help others at one of the most horrific events in our American history so that others might continue to live and prosper in safety.  What constitutes courage though?  What exactly is courage anyway?

There are at least three different kinds of valor. One I believe has to do with discipline and physical courage.  The people who demonstrate this most tend to go above and beyond their training and physical comfort zone.  They deal with life-threatening challenges almost daily as they attempt to face danger and save lives while putting their own safety aside.  These people have had to develop physical stamina and have had to learn to overcome fear and rely almost entirely on their training, their instinct and their strong desire to save lives. Intellectual courage is another type demonstrated by individuals had to endure persecution for their ideas: ideas that changed the world. Socrates displayed this type of courage and faced death to stand behind what he believed.  His ideas ultimately helped change and advance society and learning.  These people tend to question and propose alternative solutions and are avid readers.  They are willing to challenge the status quo if it seems wrong to them and even at the cost of popularity or loss of life.

A third type could be considered moral courage as it entails the power and determination to follow a believe system even if you are ultimately criticized, physically threatened and disapproved of by others.  Gandhi's an example of someone with moral courage when he used non-violence as a means of persuading the British government to liberate India.  Another is 42 year old Rosa Parks who on December 1, 1955 in Montgomery, Alabama refused to obey bus driver's order to give up her seat and to make room for a white passenger. Parks' action was not the first of its kind to impact the civil rights issue and had the effect of sparking the Montgomery Bus Boycott.  Her act of heroism and defiance became an important symbol of the modern Civil Rights Movement and she became an icon of resistance to racial segregation.  Moral courage requires you to stand up for ethics and principle even when it is inconvenient and it may be to your detriment.  These individuals display a lot of empathy and compassion, and have the ability to understand the needs and hurts of others.

Many of the people who perished as a result of the terrorist attacks that occurred on the 11th of September in 2001 exhibited more than one of these qualities.  They broke from fear and complacency to attain greatness in the eyes of a very grateful country.  Their courageous acts were more than noble and life affirming.  The passion that the  men and women had in order to work tirelessly to save lives on September 11, 2001, still encourage me to want to take action with the desire and to do so with confidence.  They are true heroes in my eyes and they always will be.

Debralee Mede

Filed under: courage, fear