Who's a hero?

Salon’s David Masciotra claims we shouldn't consider the military heroes. No, seriously. This weekend he wrote, “It is a particularly childish trait… that insists on anointing all active military members and police officers as “heroes.”

Wow.

Call me crazy, but I think anyone who willingly places himself in front of bullet for me is a hero. And anyone who voluntarily serves our country, knowing that service means she could see active duty, is a hero.

Mr. Masciotra calls out the bad apples of the military and law enforcement to bolster his claim that we should no longer revere our service members. Yes, there are some who have abused their power. But there are exponentially more who have not and who have acted in our stead, who have fought to provide us the very freedom that allows stupid people to write for magazines.

He claims we’re not in any wars right now where our freedom is at stake, thus the sacrifices of the military don’t rise to heroic status. But they serve whether they agree with the policies or not. Soldiers are not politicians.

Mr. Masciotra’s beef is with the wars being fought, but unfortunately, he’s taking it out on the men and women who serve instead of on the people who decide where the military serves. If you want to be mad at someone, Mr. Masciotra, be mad at the suits in Washington, not the military.

The actions of the military have given you the right to write what you want, Mr. Masciotra. And they’ll defend that right, even at the point of a gun.

They sound like heroes to me.