Manufacturing Heroes
By Steve GillmanWe seem to have such a need for them that when there are none, we begin manufacturing heroes. I was thinking about this as the press and public went crazy over Barack Obama in the days leading up to his inauguration. He rode a train along the same route that Lincoln took to Washington, and he was sworn in on the same bible as Abraham Lincoln.
I had to look into the writings of Lincoln to see what this “hero” was really about. It is clear from what I found that he was against slavery. He stated so repeatedly in many times and places. However, it was an issue that was secondary to him, as this quote shows:
“My paramount object in this struggle is to save the Union, and is not either to save or to destroy slavery. If I could save the Union without freeing any slave I would do it, and if I could save it by freeing all the slaves I would do it; and if I could save it by freeing some and leaving others alone I would also do that. What I do about slavery, and the colored race, I do because I believe it helps to save the Union; and what I forbear, I forbear because I do not believe it would help to save the Union. I shall do less whenever I shall believe what I am doing hurts the cause, and I shall do more whenever I shall believe doing more will help the cause.”
Lincoln was also quite clearly racist:
“I will say then that I am not, nor ever have been in favor of bringing about in anyway the social and political equality of the white and black races - that I am not nor ever have been in favor of making voters or jurors of negroes, nor of qualifying them to hold office, nor to intermarry with white people; and I will say in addition to this that there is a physical difference between the white and black races which I believe will forever forbid the two races living together on terms of social and political equality. And inasmuch as they cannot so live, while they do remain together there must be the position of superior and inferior, and I as much as any other man am in favor of having the superior position assigned to the white race. I say upon this occasion I do not perceive that because the white man is to have the superior position the negro should be denied everything.”
There are other similar quotes to be found in the history books. We generally don’t want to hear the truth about our heroes. In fact, although these and many other historical facts call into question the heroism of many historical figures, they usually don’t make it into the school textbooks. This is a form of tacit conspiracy to keep useful myths alive. We would rather see our invented heroes than the truth about real people who are inevitably flawed.
Some would argue that this is a good thing, that we need perfect heroes and we should invent them when they do not exist. Such figures can inspire us to be better than we are, the theory goes. Maybe. On the other hand, what’s clear to me is that by manufacturing heroes and ignoring the truth about their flaws, we ignore the lessons we need to avoid making the same mistakes again and again. It may seem to naive to state it so plainly, but I believe that the truth is the best teacher.
I wish the best for Barrack Obama, but I know that he is a politician, subject to the forces that affect politics. I also know that doing the right thing in every circumstance is not the best way to get re-elected in four years, and I have to assume that this is one of his many goals. I do believe in heroic action, but not in heroes. The best of men and women make mistakes and sometimes act on lesser motives.
If we want to become better people, we don’t do it by ignoring the truth or worshipping myths. We also don’t do it by blindly following anyone. Many have been lead to do great evil by taking that route. We don’t become better by refusing to see the real darkness within us and our supposed heroes - because what is not seen cannot be corrected. We need to stop manufacturing heroes and start working on ourselves.
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Tags: heroic, Lincoln, manufacturing heroes, obama