Garnet Donkey

A friend recently remarked to me that our generation seems obsessed with heroes.  Superhero movies are coming out all the time – Iron Man, the Batman franchise, the Hulk movies, X-Men series (a fourth due out in about two years) – need I go on?  Everywhere we turn, we’re bombarded by images of heroism.  The armed forces have been using heroism and patriotism as a recruiting tool for a very long time, and that theme is spreading.  In the face of this search for heroes, a search that I find myself joining, I must ask, why?  Why is there this need, so recently, for heroes?

Ever since I can remember, the United States has been at war or involved in military action.  As my dad drove me into school each day, we’d listen to the news.  NPR would report about this terrorist attack or that murdering psychopath – very rarely would we hear a message of hope.  Under President Bush, the primary issue has been national security.  The Bush administration has portrayed national security as a steadily deteriorating situation in which we must remain ever vigilant or else be destroyed.  Every press briefing tells us that we must give up a few more liberties, that we must rationalize a few more atrocities.  Fear pervades our culture.  It is pushed to the background, or the world would go mad, but it is still there.

My next question- what is a hero?  Superheroes in pop culture have cool powers and can do things an “ordinary” man cannot.  In most cases, they hide their true identities, leading a public life and a private life.  Take Iron Man, for instance.  Tony Stark is the billionaire playboy, but when he dons his suit he becomes a superhero.  The Dark Knight, which I have seen twice now, has a slightly different portrayal of a hero.  The Batman is a superhero, but in the eyes of the public he accepts whatever role they assign him so that the image of others may bring hope to the masses.

I believe that a hero is someone who will bring hope.  A hero is a beacon in a time of darkness, a ray of light to guide the way to better times.  In the current political climate, what we need is a hero.  I am undecided whether or not I see a hero in this presidential election.  I hope I become more certain as the weeks go on.