Martyr

:Apart from the religious meaning, Martyr is also a metal band (see Martyr (band)).

Hero or villain?

The term "martyr" is in some ways semantically interchangeable with "hero" — both are almost always controversial. The phrase "one man's hero is another's criminal" is a simple way of expressing this disparity. Warriors throughout history returning from battle, dead or alive, are typically revered for "heroism" and "bravery". In recent history, those that commit criminal acts during war run the risk of military courts martial. In all cultures, dying in a war is considered "martyrdom", although the word is usually applied to deaths specifically in a religious or moral cause.

Related Topics:
Hero - Warrior

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In the UK the summer of 2005 saw attempts by the Blair government to criminalize the use of the word "martyr" in reference to "Islamist" suicide bombers. This illustrates the polarization surrounding the issue and the need the government obviously felt to break the power of the word.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~