Heroes for Grownups
Published by Talula July 17th, 2009 in politicsJust before Obama was elected, I recall being teased for idolizing him. At the time, I tried to downplay my huge admiration somewhat, admitting that he was only human, that he was not perfect, that it was silly for me to look up to someone with such intense admiration. I tried to act like a grownup.
But I don’t think that was right. I don’t think children are the only ones who should have heroes, and I don’t think it’s childish or inappropriate for adults to admire other adults. I do look up to President Obama, among others, and I don’t think it’s something that calls for apology.
So on that theme of admiration and esteem, of pure unabashed adoration for other people’s goodness, strength, and shining, here is someone else I’d like to openly declare is a hero of mine: Jason Pinney.
2 Responses to “Heroes for Grownups”
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I agree that heroes are quite important. Sadly a part of the American/ Western ethic is a feigned refusal to submit to anyone; a kind of super-pride, even though if you look into any individual’s life you see how we submit to others continually. There’s nothing pretty about this kind of egoism. Having the courage to hold up the actions and character of individuals that we esteem and admire is a powerful method for eroding this view and fault.
I read Pinney’s statements. It’s quite sad that we still engage in and support torture (denying food, light, exercise, or freedom of movement all constitute torture) and unjust imprisonment at all. I thought Obama had agreed to shut Guantanamo down. I haven’t read up enough to figure out why it hasn’t happened yet.
He has promised to close the prison at Guantanamo, though he said he needed a year to do it. He has been working to solve the problem of how to deal with prisoners who clearly pose a threat to the security of the U.S. (now even more so, probably) but who cannot be tried properly in federal courts because any evidence against them would be excluded, because it was obtained through coercion. Bush left him quite a sticky mess to sort out. But this represents a small fraction of the detainees there, and so it is just a matter of time before rest can be tried according to law, or released. I agree that our legal definitions of torture are far too permissive.