While scanning through the newspaper’s Oct. 17-23 issue, I came across an article by Jerry Kremer entitled, “At Last, Two American Heroes.” With much interest I read the story and concluded the author must be living in the Land of Oz or somebody spiked his morning coffee.
The first candidate chosen for his title was Tiger Woods. Woods is a golf pro and I always enjoyed watching him on TV for he was a great golfer. He knew how to play the greens, the ruffs and fairways and played without any show business attitude. But he has had a bad run and has overcame his injuries. He is, so to speak, trying to regain his stroke. But a “hero?” No way.
His next candidate was Dr. Ford. I sympathize with any man or woman that has been a victim of sexual or abusive treatment. But here is a woman, by her own testimony, couldn’t remember where she was on that night, how she got to where she was or how many others were in the room at the time of the incident. Suddenly, after being treated by her psychiatrist, she remembered that it was Brett Kavanaugh who instigated the incident. It could have been any Tom, Dick or Harry at the party, but she now was sure it was Kavanaugh. Even a psychiatrist can interrupt a patients’ memory, dreams or motives. Something may have happened that night, but because she came forward with her claim does not meet the “hero” title.
If Jerry is or was looking for real American heroes I can recommend a few, maybe even a few thousand candidates to choose from. Take the men and women of our military. They have left home, family and friends to defend our country no matter where they are stationed. Visit a VA hospital and see the wounds they have suffered. They are real “heroes.” The men and women who patrol our borders, especially the southern border who work alone most of the time and patrol an inhospitable environment day and night to protect us from drug dealers and illegal trespassers. They are real “heroes.”
Right here at home are hundreds of police officers, firefighters and EMTs that protect us at home, on the streets, enforce our laws and tend to our needs in various emergencies. How about our volunteer firemen and women in our communities? They can be called away from family and friends when needed regardless of what they may be doing. Add to the list are our doctors and nurses who sometime perform miracles for the patients they care for—many times saving lives. All these are the real American heroes.
The dictionary describes a hero as one who is asked to watch over and protect. Jerry could have used anyone of those candidates mentioned and told a true story about real American heroes.
—Dan Scheidel
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