Whatever you might say about the guy, he was hardly a coward.Who? Matthews???
Criminy, man, employing your twisted judgment neither were the 9/11 terrorists or Adolph Hitler "cowards." No sir, they were BRAVE men.
We ought to ask Bill Maher, I guess. I'm sure he would agree with you.
Bravery that deserves praise--even implied praise--requires a moral component. Without a moral component it is mere thuggery, butchery, and overweening hubris.
Please, try not to panic. And try to make sense. You can say that Matthews was ill advised, reckless, a fool, a nut, a muderous bastard, but you can't say he was a coward. He exposed his body to flying pointy things while he was throwing his own pointy things. To do that, one does not come out of cowardance, whatever else one comes out of.
My "twisted" judgement does apply to the terrorists. The leadership that sent the terrorists may certainly have been cowards, but the individuals who died, however wrongly, stupidly or evily, were not cowards. You underestimate your enemy, and that is neither wise nor smart.
Bravery does not necessarily deserve praise to be bravery nor does the recognician thereof require a "moral component". Bravery is the willingness to accept, especially in the face of fear, certain or probable death or injury to act. It describes the inner state of mind of the actor reqardless of whether the act is moral, proper or wise.
