Where Have All the Heroes Gone?

I read this article recently written by Orrin Woodward about the loss of heroes in our country today that really made sense to me. The thing is, our country is consumed with negativity. Even as the saying goes, "Negative publicity is better than no publicity at all." How horrible is that? People are not recognized for the good deeds they do, they are recognized for their wild, irresponsible, and negative behavior. There is a war going on and the article states it well by starting with this:

"Over a century ago, while touring this country, Matthew Arnold noted that, 'if one were searching for the best means to efface and kill in a whole nation the discipline of self-respect, the feeling for what is elevated; he could do no better than take the American newspaper.' We could update Arnold’s quote today and add T.V. and the Internet to his list. With few exceptions, most of what you read and hear has been 'dumbed down' to anti-heroic rhetoric and even the thought of the heroic is laughed at."

I think people today think of heroes as comic book super heroes. The examples that Orrin uses makes me think of heroes that perhaps I am able to encounter in my day to day business. It is a rather humbling thought.

"'Do not live useless and die contemptible' – John Witherspoon, signer of Declaration of Independence – hero
'One man of tolerable abilities may work great changes and accomplish great affairs among mankind, if he first forms a good plan and …makes the execution of that same plan his sole study and business' – Ben Franklin – hero
'System in all things should be aimed at; for in execution, it renders every thing more easy.' – George Washington – hero
'We are always equal to what we undertake with resolution…It is part of the American character to consider nothing as desperate; to surmount every difficulty by resolution and contrivance.' – Thomas Jefferson – hero
'First was the creation of a ‘natural aristocracy,’ as Jefferson put it, of genius and virtue. This would be no aristocracy of wealth, caste, or privilege. Because genius and virtue are not limited to any particular class, but scattered randomly throughout the polity…By separating the ‘wheat from the chaff,’ as Jefferson starkly put it, he hoped to elevate worthy persons to guard the sacred rights of liberty.' – Bill Bennett, summarizing Thomas Jefferson – hero"

To think, people we know today would be a hero in a history book tomorrow. What are you doing to mark your place in the history books? Are you allowing all this negativity to rule your thoughts and how you view people and choose your actions? Or are you fighting the fight against such thoughts? I hope people will choose to fight. This country is too great to loose to the media. We built the media and we can rebuild it if need be.

I know that Orrin is much more articulate in being able to verbalize these thoughts, but I just found too many thoughts of my own stewing in my head to just sit there and not write them down. How lucky am I that I am able to associate with this person fronting the war to bring back heroism? How lucky are you, that I am able to share this person with you?