Japanese heroes

My Opinion

For those of us who have seen the movie K-19 Widowmaker we have a look, probably an exaggerated look, but nonetheless, a very scary and emotional look at the facts of nuclear radiation. The K-19 Widowmaker is about the first Russian nuclear submarine voyage and its malfunctions. During the movie, after a malfunction occurs, the crew takes turns trying to fix the nuclear problem. The radiation is so bad that none of them can stay in the room for very long. The side effects are horrifying, and look very painful.

The crew and captain of the K-19 Widowmaker are now forever at the forefront in my mind when I think or talk about heroes. However, these heroes are characters in a movie and the actors are not real heroes. The real heroes of today can be seen in Japan.

According to Keith Bradsher and Hiroko Tabuchi from the New York Times, “A small crew of technicians, braving radiation and fire, became the only people remaining at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station on Tuesday.”

The 50 workers are braving the dark tunnels full of radiation in order to try and fix the Reactors and stop further radiation problems.

It is not certain whether or not the crew members were assigned or if they volunteered, either way, they are heroes because they are trying.

Much like the movie K-19 Widowmaker, a lot is resting on the shoulders of these heroes. According to the New York Times, they could be Japan’s last hope of preventing further nuclear catastrophe.

If you have a hard time imagining what these workers are sacrificing and risking, watch the K-19 Widowmaker, though dramatized, I think it can help us all come to a better understanding of what they are going through and why they are real heroes.

Opinion 2

Commenting on The New York Times article at www.nytimes.com/2011/03/16/world/asia/16workers.html?ref=todayspaper

Jack O’Hanlon from Salt Lake City, UT said:

Heroes of the whole world.

These 50 will be remembered for what they are doing, because no radiation suit or breathing equipment can shield them from the exposure they are taking. In essence, it's a death sentence for them all, most likely. While we all sit at home tonight in the USA, these people are trying to save countless others from a terrible outcome.

"It's a moving story, one that comes on top of one of the most graphic scenes of suffering imaginable. How can anyone define what the human spirit really can be when you see acts like this 'last line of defense?'"

Opinion 3

Another comment from the New York Times Article has a different view.

John M. Durham, NC said,

"It's nice to call these workers heroes -- and they are, in a way -- but we should recognize that their situation is bad. They probably don't have much personal choice about what they are doing. If they refuse now, they will likely be fired from the company. Assuming they are from the area, their houses have likely been damaged. At least they have an excellent national public health care system to rely on if they suffer from radiation poisoning. It just feels odd to be cheering for people whom a company has sent into an arena of potential death. Between cheers, can we ask quo vadis?"