I know most Veterans get irritated that they do not think the same as me when I state that the only heroes in my World ,are Past , Present and Future ,United States of America Military.. They have a humbleness and courage in them that is not so evident in the General Population. They join the Military knowing full well that even in times of Peace, things can change, and they might have to one day, put their life on the line, and many times, for days and months, and years while their family is at home sacrificing their happiness, with the added fear of their loved ones injury, or death in the War Zone.. The U.S Military is composed of all races and religions, from the far left, to the far right ,and everything in between.. Freedom isn't Free..
and I'm glad that you understand that people on the left can be patriotic, too.
It's also possible to provide great service to this nation without being in the military. One of the most capable and motivated students I taught in my 30 years in education works in a terrible neighborhood trying to help people learn to help themselves. She could literally do anything she wanted; she was the top student in a very good school in math, sciences, language, arts, and music and she's gorgeous.
She's one of my heroes.
while growing up - mine were clear...
Chuck Yeager, John Glenn, Albert Schweitzer, Albert Einstein, and Jonas Salk.... and my Dad.
I asked my young son who his were. Sadly he had only one, Bruce Lee. And while I don't think badly of that one, still, he is only an actor, skilled in martial arts. and tragically, he has a better hero in front of him - his mom. While we are divorced - she is impressive, and always is willing to sacrifice for her family, friends and even strangers...
So while I may disagree with many, I am able to see the nobility in many.
I ask the "steamed" members of this board - "who are your present day heroes?"
Mine?
Colin Powell, Bobby Gendal, Harald zur Hausen, and wheel-chair boy, Stephen Hawking.
each in his own way, did the impossible.
Great group of people you mentioned. I think the most touching is your dad.
I do admire the few who stand out for accomplishment and bravery, but I have always liked the quiet person who lives his or her life, raising a family, going to work, being a good person, being a dad or a mom to a kid.
I think of my fathers (I had two - one was a wonderful stepfather) and uncles who came home from WW II. They fought a good fight, some in dangers I can't imagine. Then they came back to L.A., got a house in the Valley or the Hollywood Hills, went to work, raised families, and lived a life of good citizenship.
It is appropriate that today we give special honor to our vet heros. But I still like you including your dad as a hero, whether his is a vet or not. Very nice.
-- Modified on 11/11/2008 1:44:01 PM
DNCPhil: I'm with you. During my boyhood, I had the usual heroes, Roy Rogers, Tom Mix, Gene Autry, Hopalong Cassidy, the Brooklyn Dodgers, but as I got older, I realized my Dad was my true hero. As a young boy, he was an immigrant from Switzerland with his father in 1922. His mother died enroute on the ship. Cause unknown. He was a B-24 flight engineer/top turret gunner during the war, stationed in England. On his 22nd mission, he was badly wounded by flak. He was sent home to die, but fooled them all. He lived to be 83. I was 36 before I knew any of this. He would absolutely refuse to talk about it until I pressed him one day about his service. He lived a quiet, hardworking, God fearing life, raising 5 kids in the best way he knew. Lost him in 1996 to prostate cancer. I miss him every day. If I can be half the man he was, I will have done pretty well.
BTW, we may have been neighbors at one time. After the war, we moved to North Hollywood from Texas. Lived on Lankershim Blvd, near Sherman Way, and moved to Granada Hills when I was in high school.
Mine?
Albert Schweitzer, MLK, jr., Alexander Shulgin, Zach Morris
Besides my Father and my paternal Grandmother. . . Nicola Tesla (the ‘Einstein’ of the 19th Century and an inventor of far greater magnitude than Edison), Bill Wilson, Dr. Robert Smith. From a political perspective, Newt and Reagan.