These Are Our Heroes
Its a sad day when heroes are no longer a sure thing.
Often times, the thing that defines a hero is his or her tragic flaw. That negative, sometimes fatal aspect of their character that all but demobilizes their appeal to the masses, and restores them to a level of human fallibility, and accountability. Heroes are created through their successes, and measured by their failures. Its a perfect checks and balances system, really; and particularly in the Black community. We won't mind lifting someone up, as long as we know for certain that the bottom is just as rocky for them as it is for the rest of us.
Things have been good this way for a long time. We have never had a problem with someone that looks like us taking a stand to improve our condition. Marches, rallies, raising money, we are all for it. We champion those who dedicate their lives to our betterment, thereby sacrificing their own personal sanctity. And if by the commonplace twist of fate they were alleged to have a couple of illegitimate children, a drinking problem, a gambling problem, an eating problem, or if they just love White women, we are willing to forgive them in the name of the Struggle. Hey, no matter what that individual's personal issues are, we are willing to accept them because they are working for our greater good.
What's different about today is that we all can't agree on a hero. Sure we don't mind their faults, we never will. Instead, we define and disassociate our leaders on the basis of their differences, no matter how positive and how uplifting. Religious and political affiliations, socio-economic backgrounds and other factors separate us faster than any other external factor we can imagine. No matter how truthful, how feasible or how efficient a plan might be for growth and development in any given topic, we are always willing to detract and dissect on the sole essence of our differences. It is indeed amazing how we can yearn to go so far and remain steadfast in our own circles of familiarity.
Perhaps I shouldn't say it is solely a Black matter, because its a natural reaction in all people around the globe. There is safety in sameness, and no room for error amongst those who are like minded. Our nation's partisan government is mired in this manner of thinking, and it is her citizens who suffer. Our communities suffer because religious institutions, civic organizations and board members cannot become of one accord. Its much easier to say the ultimate solution is for individuals to become more open-minded, but that will remain a distinct impossibility because there is no way to gauge or determine how open minded one should be. Min. Farrakhan can be open minded about chitlin' dinners, but personal convictions would never lead him to consume one, and this is within his right. But is it this guarded sense of protecting personal integrity that holds us back from progress?
Aside from my very own parents, one man I can freely admit to admiring in his profession as well as his personal life is Muhammad Ali. As a fighter, there was none better. As man, he drew the ire of a nation and a large portion of the Black community for being just who he was; a man. He was a womanizer, and was ostracized by many not only for his views, but with the brash and unapologetic way in which he communicated his opinions. Now, in his later years, after innumerable humanitarian efforts and being recognized as a true American icon, everyone can say either with or without reservation, that he is a hero. Yet he is only one man with numbered days, and perhaps we might be too different to ever unanimously proclaim another like him. Where are our heroes? We are too blinded by our own spectrums to clearly see them in each other.
Often times, the thing that defines a hero is his or her tragic flaw. That negative, sometimes fatal aspect of their character that all but demobilizes their appeal to the masses, and restores them to a level of human fallibility, and accountability. Heroes are created through their successes, and measured by their failures. Its a perfect checks and balances system, really; and particularly in the Black community. We won't mind lifting someone up, as long as we know for certain that the bottom is just as rocky for them as it is for the rest of us.
Things have been good this way for a long time. We have never had a problem with someone that looks like us taking a stand to improve our condition. Marches, rallies, raising money, we are all for it. We champion those who dedicate their lives to our betterment, thereby sacrificing their own personal sanctity. And if by the commonplace twist of fate they were alleged to have a couple of illegitimate children, a drinking problem, a gambling problem, an eating problem, or if they just love White women, we are willing to forgive them in the name of the Struggle. Hey, no matter what that individual's personal issues are, we are willing to accept them because they are working for our greater good.
What's different about today is that we all can't agree on a hero. Sure we don't mind their faults, we never will. Instead, we define and disassociate our leaders on the basis of their differences, no matter how positive and how uplifting. Religious and political affiliations, socio-economic backgrounds and other factors separate us faster than any other external factor we can imagine. No matter how truthful, how feasible or how efficient a plan might be for growth and development in any given topic, we are always willing to detract and dissect on the sole essence of our differences. It is indeed amazing how we can yearn to go so far and remain steadfast in our own circles of familiarity.
Perhaps I shouldn't say it is solely a Black matter, because its a natural reaction in all people around the globe. There is safety in sameness, and no room for error amongst those who are like minded. Our nation's partisan government is mired in this manner of thinking, and it is her citizens who suffer. Our communities suffer because religious institutions, civic organizations and board members cannot become of one accord. Its much easier to say the ultimate solution is for individuals to become more open-minded, but that will remain a distinct impossibility because there is no way to gauge or determine how open minded one should be. Min. Farrakhan can be open minded about chitlin' dinners, but personal convictions would never lead him to consume one, and this is within his right. But is it this guarded sense of protecting personal integrity that holds us back from progress?
Aside from my very own parents, one man I can freely admit to admiring in his profession as well as his personal life is Muhammad Ali. As a fighter, there was none better. As man, he drew the ire of a nation and a large portion of the Black community for being just who he was; a man. He was a womanizer, and was ostracized by many not only for his views, but with the brash and unapologetic way in which he communicated his opinions. Now, in his later years, after innumerable humanitarian efforts and being recognized as a true American icon, everyone can say either with or without reservation, that he is a hero. Yet he is only one man with numbered days, and perhaps we might be too different to ever unanimously proclaim another like him. Where are our heroes? We are too blinded by our own spectrums to clearly see them in each other.
posted by Mr. Carter at 12/19/2005 01:11:00 PM
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