Do we still need heroes in the present day?

Do we still need heroes in the present day?

JAKARTA (JP): What is a hero? Do we need heroes? Can we find a
"real hero" in the present day? Such simple questions probably
emerge every November 10 when Indonesians celebrate National
Heroes Day.

The Jakarta Post asked a selection of people for their views
on the subject.

Rizal Ramli, a noted economist and Econit's managing director:
"A hero does not necessarily have to be someone that is, or ever
will be, buried in a heroes cemetery.

Nowadays, a hero should be someone, regardless of profession,
who can give added value to their country.

A hero can contribute to science and technology, education,
culture... anything, because the war we are in now is no longer a
physical fight.

A hero is someone who, in fighting their "war", does not have
personal interests or looks to become the focus of the struggle."

Purwanto, a driver: "Heroes, in today's world full of
hypocrisy, are those who dare to say "no" to what is wrong and
"yes" to what is right."

Hera, a university student: "I'm no longer sure what the term
hero really means in this age when all sorts of people are named
"heroes" virtually on a monthly basis.

I have become suspicious of those people who have received the
title 'hero' because it is likely that they are not really worth
noting.

According to Hera, it is easier to respect the heroes who
struggled for independence than to memorize those who have been
granted hero status in the last two years."

Arswendo Atmowiloto, former editor of the now defunct Monitor
tabloid, novelist: "Heroes sacrifice their own interests for the
sake of others. They are more than just altruists. For instance,
Father Sandyawan. The Catholic priest risked his own life when he
harbored Democratic People's Party chairman Budiman Sudjatmiko
who is regarded by the government as a rebel. What's more, heroes
need not be 'clean' or politically correct. Thus prostitutes,
homosexuals, people of antiestablishment political orientation
and the like could be recognized as heroes if they are really
heroes."

Diah Rahayu, a housewife, living in South Jakarta: "The word
hero could have various meanings depending on people's interests.
It could be my husband.

Someone who was awarded national hero status in the past and
buried at the heroes cemetery could be found to be a bad person
in the future. So, I can't convince myself, what a national hero
really is."

Noeh, chief editor of Antara News Agency: "Heroes are those
people who have undertaken the most worthy services for their
country and committed the fewest faults in developing their
nation. Based on that definition, hero status should not be
reserved for the military.

We can also say that heroes are those to whom God will say:
You have done a lot of very good things and therefore I'll
forgive all of your sins.

But of course, the subject of heroes is debatable. Other
people may have different opinions."

Puji, a manager of the Ciputra Group: "Heroes for me are
people who did the most to develop a certain group of society,
disregarding the so-called SARA (tribal affiliations, ethnics,
religion and race).

That's my opinion and I don't know whether it is agreeable to
others or not. But one thing I think is that other people will
also agree that heroes are people who have done good things."

Wardiman Djojonegoro, Minister of Education and Culture:
"Heroes perform beyond their call of duty. Teachers, for
practical purposes, can be referred to as heroes as the song
Heroes without Medals of Honor suggests. This, however, does not
automatically make them eligible for a place in heroes
cemeteries."

N.H. Dini, a novelist: "Heroes are those who have done
something of great virtue for the community in which they live,
provided their heroic acts are not performed as redemption for
losses incurred nor are they spurred by base motives such as
money. I know some highly revered people whose acts fit my
definition but I could not refer to them as heroes as I do not
know who they really are. Our late first president Bung Karno is
certainly a hero, not only because of his struggle for our
country's independence but also because of his contribution to
the development of the Indonesian language. Our language would
not have attained its perfect unity without him. In addition,
heroes can also be animals, such as dogs which have saved
people's lives."

Let. Gen. Wiranto, chief of the Army Strategic Reserves
Command and chairman of the Indonesian Bridge Association:
"Athletes who have done our country proud are heroes. The
Indonesian men's bridge team, for instance. It finished second to
France in the just-concluded 10th Bridge Olympics on Greece's
Rhodes Island after a grueling 14 days which exhausted them both
mentally and physically. It was the best finish we have ever had
since we first took part in the Olympics in 1982. It is a heroic
act though not of the same type as that of a man who saves a
child's life at the expense of his own." (Team)