maporsche wrote:xingu wrote:Are we to suppose that every person who was captured and tortured in all wars are heros?
As a general statement I would assume you would suppose that.
There would be a few cases where I'm sure where this wouldn't apply (such as if the person raped a child and the other side captured/tortured him because of it).
But someone like McCain, who served honorably AND was captured/tortured, are heros.
I think that a hero should be more distinguished in his or her service than the person you describe in the last paragraph.
Main Entry: he·ro
Function: noun
Pronunciation: 'hir-(")O, 'he-(")rO
Inflected Form(s): plural heroes
Etymology: Latin heros, from Greek herOs
1 a : a mythological or legendary figure often of divine descent endowed with great strength or ability b : an illustrious warrior c : a man admired for his achievements and noble qualities d : one that shows great courage
2 a : the principal male character in a literary or dramatic work b : the central figure in an event, period, or movement
3 plural usually heros : SUBMARINE 2
4 : an object of extreme admiration and devotion : IDOL
--Merriam-Webster