Do we live in a society that no longer has heroes? Have we become so indifferent and cynical that men and women doing heroic things are seldom reported and hardly noticed, and consequently never celebrated or emulated? Are we too sophisticated to become caught up in something as yesterday as a hero?
And if so, where did our heroes go?
Admittedly, it's a stretch to find public officials nowadays whose behavior could be considered heroic. If anything, based upon the sheer number of ethics complaints and court proceedings, the opposite is often more descriptive. Our Hollywood celebrity culture provides an endless supply of beautiful but shallow, egocentric, sparsely talented individuals who provide us with an entertainment outlet not just with their "craft," but also with their antics and opinions.
The sporting world has become so soiled with cheating, pampered, self-absorbed athletes and coaches, and so driven by college and professional organizations that devalue longstanding virtues like loyalty and integrity, that past sports giants like Tom Landry and Vince Lombardi would likely be filled with disgust. And the corporate world has recently had more than its share of arrogant industry titans who have lied, bilked, and bullied their way to lifetime riches with an astonishing amount of collateral damage to their companies, customers, and shareholders.
There have been six Medals of Honor awarded to American servicemen during the course of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. How many Americans have seen television or print media coverage of these men? How many Americans know the names of all six? Or perhaps just one? And is this confirmation that we no longer have any heroes?
No. We still have heroes. The skill and calmness of U.S. Airways pilot Captain Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger who, with an airplane full of crew and passengers, landed the stricken jetliner safely in the Hudson River, captivated the nation. We will never forget the incomprehensible bravery of the FDNY firefighters as they climbed the smoke-filled stairwells of the World Trade Center towers on September 11, 2001. The outpouring of goodwill toward New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees was as much about his efforts in offering a helping hand to a still-reeling post-Katrina community as it was his Super Bowl victory.
Americans still pull their fellow citizens from rain-swollen rivers. Single moms hold jobs and raise kids and sometimes even manage to go back to school. Cancer victims fight back against their disease, often against overwhelming odds, and still make contributions to their communities or companies or churches. They are heroes, all. We are still a nation that needs its heroes, even without the high profile, to provide us with examples to follow, to cause us to remember our past, to give us reason for hope and encouragement.
And we still have men and women in uniform who are as heroic as any previous generation. By the way, the following Medal of Honor awardees are genuine American heroes:
SFC Paul R. Smith, U.S. Army (posthumous) - Iraq
CPL Jason L. Dunham, U.S. Marine Corps (posthumous) - Iraq
LT Michael P. Murphy, U.S. Navy (posthumous) - Afghanistan
Petty Officer Michael A. Monsoor, U.S. Navy (posthumous) - Iraq
PFC Ross A. McGinnis, U.S. Army (posthumous) - Iraq
SFC Jared C. Monti, U.S. Army (posthumous) - Afghanistan
With gratitude. May they Rest in Peace.
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Public Confidence
I saw a recent Gallup Poll that rated the American public's confidence in a number of institutions. The question, specifically, was tell me how much confidence you, yourself have in each of these institutions.
Overall, the military showed a positive score of 82%, the highest among all categories. Small business was a distant second at 67%. Following, only the police (59%), the church (52%), and the presidency (51%) were above 50%. Public schools came in at 38%. Television news was rated at 23%, banks at 22%, and HMOs at 18%. Congress and big business were the lowest at 17% and 16%, respectively.
Is the American public losing confidence in many of its longstanding institutions? And is that loss of confidence justified?
The answer to both questions is, in my opinion, yes. Network television news is shedding viewers in much the same manner as a theater would shed moviegoers if someone entered and shouted, "Hijacked plane circling overhead." Dealing with banks and HMOs is rarely joyful, even when you finally get past the "If you'd like to hear this in English, press 1 now" to start your long wait. And what about Congress? Their rating seems a bit charitable, actually. In general the more the public sees of its elected officials, the more repulsed it becomes. With big business, some of the sharks who run (or did run) several of the major corporations have created far more misery than "value" in the past several years. They loved Bush, then they hated him. Then they loved Obama, now they hate him. Their great skill is in creating astonishing wealth for themselves, and not much else beyond sniffing the rumps of the political class. Isn't that a lovely image?
So why does the military hold such high confidence? The uniformed services are hardly without blemish, and plenty of politically driven rump-sniffers can be found in this institution, as well. Why the elevated trust on the part of the public?
It has something to do with the stakes. The American people understand that military men and women put their lives on the line as a matter of routine. The American people respect courage and sacrifice; professional skill and competence have always been admired by Americans. The public hurts when a flag-draped coffin returns one of our young fallen warriors. My own experience tells me that the Marine officers with whom I served were the most talented, dedicated, unselfish people I've ever known. I sincerely doubt that much has changed there.
The U.S. military has served our Republic well, and has earned the respect of our nation by having paid a considerable price in human life. What do the other institutions have at stake? A pension? A legacy? Enhanced profitability and cash flow?
It seems to me that in this survey, as in most other matters, the American people got it about right.
Overall, the military showed a positive score of 82%, the highest among all categories. Small business was a distant second at 67%. Following, only the police (59%), the church (52%), and the presidency (51%) were above 50%. Public schools came in at 38%. Television news was rated at 23%, banks at 22%, and HMOs at 18%. Congress and big business were the lowest at 17% and 16%, respectively.
Is the American public losing confidence in many of its longstanding institutions? And is that loss of confidence justified?
The answer to both questions is, in my opinion, yes. Network television news is shedding viewers in much the same manner as a theater would shed moviegoers if someone entered and shouted, "Hijacked plane circling overhead." Dealing with banks and HMOs is rarely joyful, even when you finally get past the "If you'd like to hear this in English, press 1 now" to start your long wait. And what about Congress? Their rating seems a bit charitable, actually. In general the more the public sees of its elected officials, the more repulsed it becomes. With big business, some of the sharks who run (or did run) several of the major corporations have created far more misery than "value" in the past several years. They loved Bush, then they hated him. Then they loved Obama, now they hate him. Their great skill is in creating astonishing wealth for themselves, and not much else beyond sniffing the rumps of the political class. Isn't that a lovely image?
So why does the military hold such high confidence? The uniformed services are hardly without blemish, and plenty of politically driven rump-sniffers can be found in this institution, as well. Why the elevated trust on the part of the public?
It has something to do with the stakes. The American people understand that military men and women put their lives on the line as a matter of routine. The American people respect courage and sacrifice; professional skill and competence have always been admired by Americans. The public hurts when a flag-draped coffin returns one of our young fallen warriors. My own experience tells me that the Marine officers with whom I served were the most talented, dedicated, unselfish people I've ever known. I sincerely doubt that much has changed there.
The U.S. military has served our Republic well, and has earned the respect of our nation by having paid a considerable price in human life. What do the other institutions have at stake? A pension? A legacy? Enhanced profitability and cash flow?
It seems to me that in this survey, as in most other matters, the American people got it about right.
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Independence Day
Not long ago I read David McCullough’s wonderful books John Adams and 1776. In each of those great works, there was an emphasis on what would have happened to those early American statesmen had the Revolution failed. Names like Washington, Jefferson, Madison, Hamilton, Franklin, Webster, and Adams. It’s foregone that those men would have been arrested, tried and most probably hanged, and left to become little more than footnotes in British history about how the colonial uprising had been subdued, and how the Empire had gloriously prevailed.
But the Revolution didn’t fail.
Those brave statesmen who staked their lives, their fortunes, and the lives of their families on an outcome that was far from certain, somehow crafted an amazing political and military victory over a numerically superior, battle-hardened, and eventually ruthless foe. Against all odds, those early Americans won with guile, perseverance, courage, and a deep belief that what they were risking would be worth the cost required. We had on our side the genius of Jefferson, the wisdom of Adams, the generalship of Washington, and the common men who left their homes and farms, who braved cold, hunger, and scarcity, and who valiantly fought the battles on their way to becoming uncommon men. Thank God Almighty for those people, for without them we’d be . . .
Well, the Revolution didn’t fail.
Ours isn’t a perfect union; far from it. And nowadays it’s a stretch to look at our elected representatives and find among them the same grit and fiber of the sort that won our national independence. Maybe it’s just me, but if tomorrow the Redcoats were bearing down on Washington, D.C. and our current elected officials were in charge, our newscasts would soon enough switch from CNN to BBC. Maybe that’s an unfair characterization. Maybe there really are stately men and women governing our nation. Maybe. Look for one the next time there’s a televised congressional hearing. Or another disaster in Louisiana. Again, ours isn’t a perfect union.
The good news is that the Revolution didn’t fail.
And we should remember that, always. Thomas Jefferson and John Adams died within hours of one another on July 4, 1826. We know how history has judged them. How will history judge us in 200 years?
But the Revolution didn’t fail.
Those brave statesmen who staked their lives, their fortunes, and the lives of their families on an outcome that was far from certain, somehow crafted an amazing political and military victory over a numerically superior, battle-hardened, and eventually ruthless foe. Against all odds, those early Americans won with guile, perseverance, courage, and a deep belief that what they were risking would be worth the cost required. We had on our side the genius of Jefferson, the wisdom of Adams, the generalship of Washington, and the common men who left their homes and farms, who braved cold, hunger, and scarcity, and who valiantly fought the battles on their way to becoming uncommon men. Thank God Almighty for those people, for without them we’d be . . .
Well, the Revolution didn’t fail.
Ours isn’t a perfect union; far from it. And nowadays it’s a stretch to look at our elected representatives and find among them the same grit and fiber of the sort that won our national independence. Maybe it’s just me, but if tomorrow the Redcoats were bearing down on Washington, D.C. and our current elected officials were in charge, our newscasts would soon enough switch from CNN to BBC. Maybe that’s an unfair characterization. Maybe there really are stately men and women governing our nation. Maybe. Look for one the next time there’s a televised congressional hearing. Or another disaster in Louisiana. Again, ours isn’t a perfect union.
The good news is that the Revolution didn’t fail.
And we should remember that, always. Thomas Jefferson and John Adams died within hours of one another on July 4, 1826. We know how history has judged them. How will history judge us in 200 years?
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