Can The GOP Capitalize On The President’s Comments About The Muslim Center In NYC?

With midterm election campaigns in full swing, Republican candidates have called on Democratic opponents to come out one way or the other on the proposal to build a Muslim center and mosque in lower Manhattan. We speak with Rick Klein, senior Washington editor for ABC World News and co-host of the ABC News/Washington Post political webcast, “Top Line.”

Are All Soldiers Heroes?

A retired Air Force officer says no, simply joining or serving in combat does not make you a hero. William Astore, who teaches history at the Pennsylvania College of Technology, joins us to talk about his recent essay, “Every soldier a hero? Hardly“, that appeared in the Los Angeles Times.

Reaction: Why U.S. Troops Deserve To Be Called Heroes

Kosovo Edges Forward As An Independent State

Jubilant ethnic Albanians poured into the streets of Pristina, Kosovo's capital, to celebrate the first anniversary of the country's independence from Serbia in February, 2009. (AP)

The International Court of Justice in the Hague recently said that Kosovo’s unilateral declaration of independence from Serbia in 2008 did not break international law. The decision may prompt more countries to recognize Kosovo’s independence, which Serbia rejects. But Kosovo faces huge problems, including opposition from its Serb minority, corruption, and a heavy reliance on international assistance. So can it emerge as a functional state? The BBC’s Mark Lowen reports.

BBC:Kosovo State Edges Forward Slowly

Opening The Here & Now Mailbox

Robin responds to your letters, calls, e-mails, and website comments. If you have a comment for us at Here & Now, click here to get in touch with us.

Travie McCoy Breaks Big With ‘Billionaire’

Travie McCoy at the Bamboozle Chicago music festival in May. (TCDC Media/Flickr)

The pop hit “Billionaire” has been all over the radio this summer. We speak with the man behind the song, Travie McCoy — who has just released his first solo CD, “Lazarus.”

Here & Now Listeners Share Their Summer Music Picks

Music From The Show

Peter Dixon, “Nagog Woods”

Ahmad Jamal, “Patterns”

Nathan Milstein, “Bach: Sonatas and Partitas for Solo Violin”

Volcano Choir, “Sleepymouth”

Usher (feat. Pitbull), “DJ Got Us Fallin’ in Love”

Lady Gaga, “Alejandro”

Eminem (feat. Rihanna), “Love the Way You Lie”

B.o.B. (feat. Hayley Williams), “Airplanes”

Travie McCoy (feat. Bruno Mars), “Billionaire”

LaRoux, “Bulletproof”,

Katy Perry, “California Gurls”

Travie McCoy, “Feel Good”

Travie McCoy, “We’ll be Alright”

Gym Class Heroes, “Cupid’s Chokehold/Breakfast in America”

Travie McCoy, “Akidagain”

Bobby Womack, “Across 110th Street”

Nick Claxton

I have thought for years that the word “hero” has been totally overused and abused, and it’s nice to hear someone of else with the same point of view. At the most basic level, the word has a definition and a specific meaning,one of which is NOT “any member of the military”. As with any other group of people, there are clearly many in the miltary who do perform heroic acts, and they should be acknowledged. To use the word indiscriminately is to devalue it. Then when the word is used appropriately, it has lost its effect.
http://www.women-leading-change.com Carlotta Tyler

The use of “hero”: As a 40 year peace activist and former member of the Board of WAND (Women’s Action for Nuclear Disarmament), I agree with the Air Force Colonel. Not all that is done in the name of war is heroic. Remember Mai lai. To exercise our democratic right of free speech and to do that with the intent to protect society from wholesale destruction through endless wars is a heroic act. I have marched in protest to defense expenditures many times in consort with many others. There is a deep commitment in New England to peace and a wise discernment regarding the danger of a warrior culture.
Dana Brammage

The over-use and abuse of the word “hero” in American culture is ironically because of the cowardice of Americans. People are afraid that if they don’t join in the mob chorus they will be branded as traitors by the same bullying intimidation tactics that have tainted words like “patriot” and have made flying the American flag no longer a matter of pride but of arrogance.

I have no doubt that these comments will incur the ire and wrath of someone out there who will retaliate with a bombast of helden-rhetoric….but I for one am ready to give the word Hero a long needed rest.

In it’s place perhaps we can use just a “Few Good Men…and Women”
Ben Fleagle

I am a former US Marine and a 18+ year firefighter. I know many brave firefighters and military personnel. But none I know would call themselves heroes. Heroism is an act, confined to the moment. A great fire chief once said “the act of heroism was taking the job, everything else is simply your duty.”
DOREEN BEHNKE

I found it very interesting that your guest used a protest march as an example today. In my opinion, if you are able to protest, you should thank a veteran
John Blanchet

Oh and I wanted to add…. he didn’t even write the song right? Does he play an instrument? Why is he getting credit? This sounds like the music industry money machine taking advantage of children. That’s all I hear in the song, not good summer time vibes, I hope I’m not alone.
John Blanchet

somethings wrong, I can’t post my original comment. just remove everything I guess.
Jason Kappel

Newt Gingritch’s comparison of the NYC Muslim Center to a Nazi sign across the street from the Holocaust museum is insane. A much more accurate analogy is to say it’s like building a Christian church two blocks from an abortion clinic… We should not condemn an entire religion simply because it has a small number of radical followers who have committed atrocities.

Muslims are not Nazis, Newt.
Holly

The members of the military are out there getting their Backsides shot off so that we can do the things we want to do at home. I watch my father EVERY DAY freaking melt away, from agent orange poisoning and the destruction of his body and mind. HE IS A HERO. And so are all military members, as long as they don’t commit one of those “atrocious” acts.

ALL Military men and women are heroes for their sacrifice, until they do something dishonorable. They are innocent Heroes unless they do something to be “guilty” of:

I feel like the speaker is a paper pusher who has never been to war, and who has never had live with the family sacrifice our Military HEROES have to make. Its True, Not everyone is a hero, but in my mind you will never get me to believe that person who gives up their freedom, to keep our lives safe. This Retired Gentleman should stay retired and keep his mouth shut about our Military Heroes!
Dana Brammage

So how many heroes do we have now.

Is anyone keeping track?
Jess Barton

Col. Astore makes good points about why it’s important not to categorize all servicemembers as “heroes.” But a matter worth exploring is: Why are using that description so liberally to begin with? After all, there’s no evidence we did that during prior wars. In my opinion, the answer lies in the fact that such a small part of the nation’s population–2.5% by some reports–is involved in any appreciable way in the current war effort. There’s this collective guilt among the other 97.5%, because they get to stay out of war while leaving the other 2.5% to fight it. As a penance, the 97.5% label the 2.5% “heroes” regardless of the quality of their service. I’ll close by mentioning that I’ve been called a “hero” for my Army service 35 years ago. I was honorably discharged, by I’d scarcely call myself a “hero.”
Alice Capson

This discussion about heroes reminds me of the old movie drama “The Americanization of Emily” starring James Garner and Julie Andrews. The Garner character felt that by calling people heroes we glorify war.
Patrick

I served a combat tour in Iraq and did my duty and did it well, but would not consider my self a hero, nor would I call many of comrades in arms heros. We did our jobs and thats it. Hero’s can be found any where, doing anything. However service members do deserve some degree of admiration and respect. Remember, “We sleep soundly in our beds because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence on those who would do us harm.” – Winston Churchill.
chris

I’m a Marine Corps infantry veteran of OIF and I do have to admit, I agree with the Colonel. None of us living veterans call ourselves heroes. I for one consider those Soldiers, Sailors and Marines who didn’t come home with us as heroes. Those men buried at Arlington, buried at Normandy, at Belleu Wood in Germany, Guadalcanal, Iwo Jima… all those places, they bear the ones I think are the REAL heroes. Just my $0.02
GREGORY PIERCE

Col. Astore is 100% correct. I did my time in the military including a tour in Viet Nam, but I am no hero. The word hero is has become very cheap. I worked for the VA for a time. The word hero had become so cheap that the head of the Tampa Bay VA Hospital sent out a letter during the early part of the previous decade for “Customer Service” week saluting the various customer service clerks as heros!
Dianne Lynne

What bothers me is when the word “hero” is applied to sports or entertainment personalities. We use the word too lightly. Not all soldiers, police officers, firefighters, survivors of great illness, citizens who risk life or liberty for a belief or to save someone else are necessarily heroic, nor all they all heroes, but certainly they, as a group, show more courage than someone earning $1 million for chasing a ball around a court. We sell the term too cheaply when we plaster it on the forehead of someone whose claim to fame is celebrity rather than courage.
D. Devine

I agree the word ‘hero’ is abused. Since 9/11 too much lip service has been paid to anyone relating to military, firefighting, & police. (lip service is so much cheaper than actually giving-up anything). A wise old Master Chief once told me: “heros are ordinary people, doing extraordinary things”.
v/r, D.Devine, USN-retired.
Julia Piedad

I believe the overuse of the word “hero” to describe all service members helps to minimize the destructive acts committed by war. Another way we Americans diminish the our involvement in war and distance ourselves is by using the generic term, “troops” to describe what were previously known as soldiers.
james petersen

Just heard Henry Winkler’s commment that “Steve McQueen jumped the (Great escape prison)fence”. Sorry, the rider of the bike was NOT the great Steve, it was stunt rider Bud Ekins. Please credit this great stuntman where due (Steve would).
james petersen

I know, I know…”great” was used excessivly!! :-)
james petersen

…and I can’t spel, eether.
Pam

Thank you for airing the interview with William Astore regarding the use of the term “hero.” But please be careful of the terms you use. “You’ve gone off the reservation” by the interviewer is an all too familiar phrase that has shameful roots.
Michael

“I WANNA BE BILLIONAIRE SO FRICKIN BAD” Why would anyone think that line is cute coming out of a kid?
james petersen

Sorry, I didn’t realize I was posting my comments in the wrong story thread. My apologies.
J
Paul K. Moose

I agree with William Astore in the points he makes with “Every soldier a hero? Hardly.” I am a former army officer also bothered by the overuse of the term. Beyond how we evaluate individual soldiers, I am troubled further by the negative aspects of a huge military establishment and the wars we are currently fighting. If you raise some of these issues you risk being ostracized as disloyal and unpatriotic. Remember,though, the best American is a thinking, critical citizen and that dissent is perhaps the highest form of partiotism. Looking at the huge equipment and personnel budgets, the corruption and waste, the questionable conflicts, and after re-reading Eisenhower’s farewell address where he discusses the military-industrial complex and Marine Corps General Smedly Butler’s “War Is A Racket” published in the early 1900′s, I am continuing to see the military establishment as a negative force and a drag on our country. With all due respect for the men and women doing the actual fighting in our current conflicts (not really wars by any standard definition)the military has become a burden. Like any large organization, the military has its share of slackers and desk jockeys. While some pay a heavy price, many enjoy a well paying job in comfortable conditions rarely exposed to danger. While soldiers in harm’s way deserve respect and fair compensation, the temendous waste, corruption and expense involved in today’s military is a drag on the country. Astore also bought up the issues as to who serves, and why. This is an issue for another day, but in my opinion everyone should serve in some capacity in a military establisment where the uniformed and civilian elements are efficient and sized to do what is necessary in the interest of national defense. This is clearly not the case today.