Definition of COURAGEOUS and BRAVE, Regarding Usage By CNN News Anchor and Bill Maher

Bill Maher lost his nightly show "Politically Incorrect" on ABC about a decade ago when he said that the 9/11 hijackers were "brave".

CNN anchor Frederika Whitfield called the actions of the gunman in Dallas with pipe- bombs in the armored vehicle who rammed a police cruiser and fired shots into the DPD HQ, "brave" and "courageous".

Because our society is so knee-jerk and based on "emotion", people flew off the handle at both statements.

In fact, both statements are true. Let's look at the dictionary definition of both words...

BRAVE...

*adjective: ready to face and endure danger or pain; showing courage.

COURAGEOUS...

*adjective: not deterred by danger or pain; brave.

As we see, both of the individuals used the words appropriately. But because in the U.S. today, symbolism trumps substance (as many neocons' idol Rush Limbaugh likes to say), Bill Maher and Frederika Whitfield are punished for the ignorance of much of the American public.

Integrity or otherwise having a "good" or "rah-rah" patriotic fervor have nothing to do with the definition of the words "brave" or "courageous".

"In times of deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act." -- Orwell.

Enough stupid people beget a stupid country. Is that what we have now? You be the judge.