Frequently
asked Questions: |
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SITE CONTENT |
Q1: Why don’t you include War Heroes in your database? |
| Q2: How
can you include [Gandhi] in this list? It is documented that [he beat his wife.] |
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| Q3: There
are a number of great web sites that list Heroes. How is this web site different? |
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| Q4: Is your web site just for adults? | |
| Q5: Your site
just seems to duplicate other sites. What’s your value added? |
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| Q6: Why don’t you include Sports Heroes? Movie Stars? | |
| Q7: There
are many non English speaking Heroes. Why is this site is only in English? |
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| Q8: There is an inordinate number of Heroes from the United States. Why? | |
| Q9: Do all Heroes risk their lives? | |
| Q10: Why are you doing this? | |
| Q11: I really
dislike having you consider [fill in a name] as a Hero. What can I do about it? |
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| Q12: Why do you just use the term Hero and not Shero or Heroine? | |
| WEB SITE OPERATIONS | Q1: You use the term Virtual Editor. What does that mean? |
| Q2: I am not a computer whiz. Can I still help? | |
| Q3: Who decides what content is in and what’s out? | |
| Q4: How do you resolve differences
in opinion on who is to be included? How do you decide what is to be included about a particular Hero? |
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| Q5: Who running this site? How is it funded? | |
| Q6: What’s the political agenda of the Web Site? | |
| Q7: Are there instructions on how to use this site? | |
| Q8: How do I report Problems / Bugs in this web site? | |
WEB SITE CONTENT |
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Q1: Why don’t you include War Heroes in your database?A1: War Heroes are acknowledged in many ways, for example:
Someday, we will be able to see that a vibrant "Peace Industry" assists and complements the "Defense Industry." The more conflicts we can manage constructively and prevent from escalating to physical violence, the fewer casualties we will have in our Military Services. Peacemakers and Peacekeepers are on the same team – just playing different positions. |
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Q2: How can
you include [Gandhi] in this list? It is documented that [he
beat his wife]. (insert any name and an inappropriate action
of that person) A2: The database contains information about real people, mortals who have lived real lives, dealt with other real people, in a variety of life conflicts. No Hero is perfect, but generally we can identify positive actions to emulate - even though our Heroes don't get things right all the time. Our goal is to examine the actions / thoughts of these people and focus on those actions that were exemplary - actions that can be considered as constructive. Generally global media does an outstanding job of informing us of the many ways humans can be violent to others - so we don't need to go there. We have reason to be optimistic because we do learn from history - from the experiences of others.
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Q3: There are a number of great web sites that list Heroes. How is this web site different?A3: Our focus is Peacemakers. We encourage you to visit other web sites that also acknowledge / honor other types of Heroes- see Links to Other Hero Sites. There is significant overlap and duplication in many of these sites, but there are also significant differences.As you aware, there are many different interpretations / definitions of a Hero and as a result, there are many different web sites about Heroes. We have chosen to focus on those Heroes who can help teach us more about constructive conflict management, peacemaking, and conflict transformation. This site focuses on Heroes who are Peacemakers. These are people who have recognized injustice (i.e. ongoing violence), become motivated to oppose it, and sought justice using the concepts of nonviolence. Fame and fortune are not “entrance criteria.” Not every Nobel Peace Prize Laureate has been nominated. Someone who "fights for peace" may not be the best example of nonviolence. Addition to the list is not necessarily an exact science – our Advisory Board helps make the decision and all decisions by the Board are not final. We welcome your explanation of why a particular person is a role model / hero and has exemplified nonviolence. Actually it is quite easy to be included – because most people demonstrate nonviolence in their daily lives – we are just looking for their stories – how they managed to use their humanness to prevent violence and seek a constructive outcome to a potentially violent situation is something we want to hear about. These people are teachers by example – we want to learn more about people who “walked the talk” – who silently lead by their example. Most of us have lived with or interacted with many Heroes. We would like to acknowledge them before their names are forgotten. Some Hero web sites require that you write your own original story. That’s not a requirement for find a hero.com. We are happy to include information about a Hero that has been documented elsewhere – as long as the originator of the information is appropriately acknowledged and there is no violation of copyright laws. We consider find a Hero.com to be a Hero Directory that can direct you to an original source of detailed information about the Hero. |
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Q4: Is your web site just for adults?A4: No. Our goal is to identify Heroes who will inspire and be role models for people of all ages (cultures, gender, etc.) As a result, we request “stories” that are painted on different canvases and in different colors so that more people can relate to and learn from a Hero.Our goal is to eventually provide a youth version of the web site. The youth version would have a “youth-friendly” appearance, and include more about the “earlier years” of our Heroes. We want to provide the opportunity for youth to find a Hero within their own culture as a positive role model for the effective application of nonviolence. We also want to focus on specific peacemaking skills that were exemplified by that Hero, because we know that constructive conflict management skills can be learned at an early age (at least as early as age 5-6: Pre-school / Kindergarten). |
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Q5: Your site just seems to duplicate other sites about Heroes. What’s your value added?A5: Our goal is to acknowledge and honor a specific type of Heroes – the Peacemakers among us AND to provide enough information about their lives that they can become effective role models for nonviolence.We attempt to add value by encouraging a closer examination of a Hero’s live. We believe it is important to be able to understand how they were able to apply nonviolence in their daily life – and as a result serve as a role model for future generations. Our goal is to examine the lives of these Heroes sufficiently to become clear about how they specifically demonstrated principles of nonviolence. Our goal is to provide a story of the Hero that illustrates/demonstrates peacemaking principles. |
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Q6: Why don’t you include Sports Heroes? Movie Stars? Business Heroes? Political Heroes?A6: We don’t exclude Sports Heroes, etc. if these people also demonstrated concepts of peacemaking in their lives.As an anology, sports teach us a number of things that are directly related to Peacemaking [2]
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Q7: There are many non-English speaking Heroes. Why is this site only in English?A: English is just a starting point for this experimental project. If this web site proves to be a useful product and serves to help others learn more about exemplary human beings, then we agree that the site should be extended to other languages/cultures. |
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Q8: There seems to be an inordinate number of Heroes from the United States? Why?A8: Again this is just a starting point for an experimental collaborative web project. We agree the site should include Heroes from each of the over 200 countries around the world, if it proves to be useful. Hopefully the web site has been designed to enable others (who are English speaking) identify Heroes from their own country/culture. Hopefully we can later extend the site to other languages (see Q7) |
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Q9: Do all Heroes risk their lives?A9: Risking your life is not a goal of a Hero. A Hero may enter into harm’s way not because they want to be a Hero but because they are dedicated to their cause. Heroes are so focused on their mission they are not thinking of the personal harm that can occur - in that sense they risk their lives - in their minds they are only doing what is "right." Some Heroes have chosen lives where their mission is to save and protect people from imminent danger (police, fire fighters, military peacekeepers, war witnesses, medical personnel, etc.). As a result, their lives are often placed in precarious situations.Our database includes information related to the “circumstances of death” of the Hero. We would hope all peacemakers are given the opportunity to grow to an old age. We record the “circumstances of death” to become aware of unnatural causes so that it may be possible to learn from any untimely death and prevent such an occurrence in the future. With time we will learn how Peacemaking and Peacekeeping are synergistic – how one protects the other[3] |
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Q10: Why are you doing this?A10: Because we are able. Heroes show us the inner beauty of being human. And it doesn't hurt to display beauty in this world. Our youth deserve to know more about role models who have demonstrated the potential of human compassion combined with constructive problem solving/conflict management. |
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Q11: I really dislike having you consider [fill in a name] as a Hero. What can I do about it?A11: We expect people to disagree on Heroes because we respect individual freedom and the right to form personal opinions. By respecting diversity, we can learn from each other. So we invite anyone to nominate their Hero along with their rationale for why this person demonstrates nonviolence and constructive peacemaking. If you disagree with the name of a Hero in the list, please provide your rationale by contacting us… |
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Q12: Why do you just use the term Hero and not Shero or Heroine?A12: Many writers now consider "Hero", long restricted to men in the sense “a person noted for courageous action,” to be a gender-neutral term. A Hero transcends gender, race, culture, etc.“Hero” is used to refer to admired women as well as men in respected publications, as in this quotation from The Washington Post: “Already a national hero in her economically troubled South Korea, . . . [Se Ri] Pak is packing galleries at [golf] tournaments stateside.” The word heroine is still useful, however, in referring to the principal female character of a fictional work: Jane Eyre is a well-known literary heroine. Again there is room for disagreement, but ninety-four percent of Usage Panelists accept this usage. Ref: The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition |
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WEB SITE OPERATION |
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Q1. You use the term "Virtual Editor." What does that mean? A1: A "Virtual Editor" is a person who contributes as an editor without physically visiting our office – someone who communicates their information via the internet, fax, phone, E-mail, snail mail, etc. It is not necessary for the Editorial Team or Advisory Board to be in the same country, the same city, the same building, the same room. By using technology, the Virtual Editors and Advisory Board can be in different physical locations but still communicate and collaborate as a Virtual Team. |
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Q2. I am not a computer whiz. Can I still help?A2: Certainly. The fact that you have read this far indicates you are interested. Although typing directly into the online forms is the most efficient method of getting the information accurately into this electronic database, you can also convey your information via other methods.
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Q3: Who decides what’s
in and what’s out? A3: The find a Hero.com Advisory Board. Currently we are using the Board of Directors of the sponsoring organization (Conflict Management Support) as the find a Hero.com Advisory Board. |
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Q4: How do you resolve differences in opinion on who is to be included and what is to be included about a particular Hero?A4: We have attempted to provide general “guidelines” for our definition of a Hero. The Advisory Board uses these “guidelines” to decide who and what is appropriate to add to the database. Recognizing that no Hero is perfect, we tend to focus on those aspects of the Hero’s life that demonstrate the principles of nonviolence and constructive conflict management. The Board relies on the input and recommendations of the “Virtual Editors” in forming a consensus. In the event a consensus can not be reached, a majority vote will be used with a brief description of the dissenting opinion(s). |
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Q5: Who running this site? How is it funded?A5: The find a Hero.com web site was developed using the resources of Conflict Management Support (CMS), a nonprofit 501(c)(3) corporation based in Centennial, Colorado, USA. The Staff and Board of Directors of CMS are all volunteers. Corporate and personal contributions were used to acquire web site development software and hardware. The information contained in the database is the collaborative effort of a growing number of volunteer “Virtual Editors.” |
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Q6: What’s the political agenda of the Web Site?A6: find a Hero.com is not affiliated with any political, religious or business organization. The “Agenda” is simple: Support those who are working in the field of nonviolent constructive conflict management – peacemaking.As we learn to develop effective alternatives to military force, we will be able to accomplish constructive goals, reduce the loss of life in our armed forces, (police, peacekeepers, etc.) and reduce the loss of life in civilian populations. That’s a Win-Win-Win outcome. Heroes provide real examples of how we can use accomplish our goals using nonviolence and conflict transformation. |
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| Q7: Are
there instructions on how to use this site? A7: Help instructions have been added to the forms used by the "Virtual Editors" To access the information, just click on the "?" in the left column of the form. |
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Q8: How do I report Problems / Bugs in this web site?A8: Go to the Contact Us Page and fill out the form OR send Email to info@findahero.com |
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| Compiled by Milt Hetrick, find a Hero.com, Project Manager
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| Footnotes: 1) Democracy implies a social context that includes appropriate respect for and consideration of each individual – therefore it provides an environment that allows (even encourages) people to learn and grow. A democracy affords the opportunity for humans to grow to their potential (good or bad). Social contracts, laws, etc. are superimposed on the Democratic society to focus that growth into nonviolent and proactively peaceful endeavors. 2) Using Sports as an analogy for Peacemaking has it's limitations because some (certaintly not all) sports are exercises in violence. If we define violence as "any action that prevents another human being from reaching their potential" we find that most sports are designed to be nonviolent (if you play by the rules). For example, Track and Field events allow people to compete and demonstrate their best effort. International football/soccer is designed to be nonviolent - rules prohibit preventing another player from shooting on goal. You can make the shot more difficult by getting in the way, or by deflecting/blocking the ball after the shot. You can take the ball away from another player, but not tackle/touch the player-just the ball. In contrast, American/Canadian football, and hockey are games where the rules allow (and even encourage) one player to take another player out of the action - to prevent them from even participating in the game by blocking/checking the opponent. Boxing is a violent sport because the objective is to get in more damaging blows than your opponent or to deliver such a commanding blow to the head so the opponent's brain is damaged sufficiently to render him / her unconsciousness. The objective of the sport is to hurt the opponent usually in irreparable ways. This is an obvious form of violence since intentional brain damage prevents the opponent from reaching their potential as a human being. We have included Muhammed Ali (born as Cassius Clay) as a Hero. This highly capable, intelligent, and thoughtful man (albeit brash in his younger years) demonstrated his athletic abilities as a world champion professional boxer. During his boxing career, he suffered significant brain damage that according to one of his physicians resulted in or at least contributed to his Parkinson’s syndrome. Despite his violent actions designed to earn money, Muhammed Ali maintained an inner spirit of peace, refused to participate in the military draft during the Vietnam era, and has since been active in promoting the growth and well being of young people around the world- see Muhammed Ali Center. Muhammed Ali is not our Hero because he was the World Boxing Champ, but because of his spiritual center and his actions as a caring human being. He is a Hero because he has extended himself to help others grow. 3) With time we will learn how Peacemaking and Peacekeeping are synergistic – how one protects the other. For example, today many people fear the establishment of a U.S. "Department of Peace" because they believe it will "weaken" the "Department of Defense." This is an unfounded myth based on a lack of understanding of the many facets of peacemaking. If the U.S. had a strong Department of Peace staffed with highly trained personnel similar to the Department of Defense, many conflicts could be prevented from escalating to violence. As a result, fewer military peacekeepers would have to die, and there would be fewer civilian casualties. The cost of military resolution of conflict is significant. As of 8/1/05, the number of U.S/U.K. coalition military lives lost in the Iraq war exceeds 1,978 according to CNN sources. At least 13,657 U.S. troops have been wounded in action, according to the Pentagon. The ratio of civilian deaths to military deaths is about 10 to 1. The battlefield is confusing and includes heavily populated areas, the number of Iraq civilian lives lost is estimated to be between 23,140 and 26,189. Friends and family members of innocent victims are then easily recruited as un-uniformed "insurgents" |
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