In a message dated 01-09-14 12:26:12 EDT, Richard White writes:

<< Martyr to me has a connotation of "useless" death.  That may not be the
 origianl concept with early religious martyrs, but even there I think there
 is an element of pointlessness.  There was nothing pointless about the
 heroic efforts of the emergency responders. >>

I certainly disagree with you very strongly on this.  A martyr (dictionary
definition) is one who chooses to die in witness to a faith or belief.  The
way you avoid martyrdom is by compromising or lying about your beliefs,
capitulating to those who want to kill you--admitting that your belief isn't
worth dying for and giving your persecutors that satisfaction.  Joan of Arc
was a martyr because she refused to recant in order to save herself from the
stake.  Only someone who believes that no faith, ideology, or belief is worth
martyrdom would consider it pointless.  There may be an element of
pointlessness according to your view, but that's a cynical opinion, not
necessarily a connotation of the word.

Dying an heroic death while trying to save others isn't martyrdom in the
traditional sense--except insofar as it demonstrates your belief that others'
lives are more important than your own.  People who deliberately immolate
themselves for their beliefs are said to have a martyr complex--the point of
their deaths is to make a "statement", to create a shock or a media event,
and in order to be revered as martyrs by their supporters.  It hardly
contains the essence of true martyrdom.  A true martyr doesn't have a death
wish and usually tries to avoid it until the chips are down and there's no
choice but to take a stand that he or she knows will result in death.  Thus
the kamikaze mentality of the Tuesday terrorists doesn't qualify as martyrdom
in my book, no matter how fervently they might have believed they were dying
for a faith, because their deaths were merely collateral damage in a warlike
attack--their prime objective was to kill other people, not themselves.  If
anyone calls them martyrs, it's standing the idea of martyrdom on its head.

If Joan of Arc had simply died in a military action, she wouldn't be
considered a martyr, but a fallen heroine.  No, the New York rescuers who
died trying to save others' lives are not martyrs, but they are selfless
heroes.

David Haberstich

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