who is a hero

It’s the end of the week and many a news item has made its rounds on the Internet, the Radio, T.V. and Newspapers the prior seven days. I try to find reason and rhyme for the considerations, consternations, callous and cynical recollections of stories which come to the fore. I many times wonder how we settle on heroes, how we defend ourselves from perceived villains, and how we decide right from wrong, and how we become a collective and at the same time seem so selective.

Who is a hero?

Scott Brown ( R) Senator from Massachusetts has erupted onto the theatrical political stage as a new star, a new sensation an “everyman”. Through the dissent of MA voters, the arrogant and uncharismatic campaigning of his democratic rival for Senator Kennedy’s ex seat, the perceived excess of Washington and the fear of the President, Senator Brown won his election. He has severed the people of Massachusetts as their junior senator since November of 2010. And now he is being asked about his aspirations for President in anticipation of the 2012 campaign. His national track record is minimal to say the least but all of the sudden there is cult worship for this man. Senator Brown was interviewed recently and said the following, “…he thinks former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin is qualified to be president but right now he’s supporting former Gov. Mitt Romney for the 2012 Republican nomination…” As for his own ambitions he’ ruling out any run for the presidency during the next election.

Are Americans so ready to stop believing in change you can hope for and now ready, so quickly to jump aboard hope that hasn’t even happened? Are we so ready to have “insti” everything, only have the patience to wait for milliliters of moments to receive immediate gratification? Are we so unsure of the sure thing that we need the next sure thing to surface only to find nothing sure thing about it? Senator Brown running for president because he is best or better than no one else; Senator Brown a hero because he happened to be in the right place at the wrong time? Really?

Senator John McCain ( R) Senator from Arizona fought hard for his country in Viet Nam and came home from a prison camp as a hero. His valor and vigor in defending his country was well appreciated and he was elected to Senate and has served in that position for 24 years.

He was a self described maverick who declared loud and proud he was an independent thinker and politician of and by the people. Then Mr. Mc Cain ran for president and started to change… and not change you can believe in. Without much due process, hindsight, or foresight he asked Sarah Palin to become his running mate. Most historians have stated she was selected in response to the possibility of Hilary Clinton’s supposed nomination by the Dems, and the possible rejection of the Republicans of asking his partner in crime Joe Lieberman to be the VP nominee). When asked why he (Mr. McCain did not do a thorough vetting process for his under qualified running mate, who at Mr. McCain advancing age had a better percentage rate to become President), the hero of Viet Nam said the past is the past and I do not answer for the past.

Senator Mc Cain who stated that he would consider the repeal of DADT if the military brass thought the idea had merit, flip flopped on that idea when in fact the top military officers said it made sense to repeal. (It seemed the more vocal Tea Bag community who identify as Christians felt equality was not the Christian thing to do and threatened to not vote for Mr. McCain if he sided with “gays”) And Mr. “mavericky” Mc Cain’s first approach on immigration as a champion to find a path for citizenship for the roughly 12 million undocumented immigrants has instead turned into a champion for the Arizona National Guard to guard the boarder and for anyone deemed suspicious in the yes of the law to produce identification. (Remember in the glory days of the Nazi’s anyone looking Jewish could be stopped and asked for papers).

A hero no more Senator McCain, or a hero with without the cape the halo the moral backbone; a man who needs to feed the lowest common denominator, and who steps off the high road to travel in the mud?

America needs hope, help and heroes. We used to want women and men who had conscience, merit, voice and virtue. We now seem to want someone, anyone who can do a quick “abracadabra” and immediately save the moment. Amazing to me how heroes rise and how they fall. And most interesting who it is we deem even desirable to worship.