Once upon a time, heroism meant honouring commitments, not reneging on them.

Redefining heroism

by Babette Francis

Which calls for more courage: coming out of the closet, 

or dealing with the mess that's left behind?

Presidents usually do not have the time to congratulate or commiserate with every citizen in the headlines, whether for an act of heroism, an academic achievement or a personal tragedy. Their phone calls are reserved for exceptional situations as for the widow of a soldier killed while trying to save the lives of others.

But under the Obama administration heroism is evolving.

One of Obama's heroines is Sandra Fluke. She is a law student who lobbied for Georgetown University to be compelled to offer health care that covers contraceptive drugs, in spite of the Catholic university's moral opposition to artificial birth control. She claimed that during her time as a law student, birth control could cost her more than US$3,000 per year.

No matter that birth control pills cost a few dollars a week and are often handed out free by Planned Parenthood - Sandra Fluke became one of President Obama's political pin-up girls. He even rang her to console her after she had been vilified by Rush Limbaugh.

To those who think it is a little unseemly for the President of the most powerful nation on earth to become involved in the birth control arrangements of an unmarried student, yes, it is more than a little "off". And as to why her pills cost more than $3,000, maybe she wanted them platinum coated.

And then there is Jason Collins, an American basketball star who earned superhero status from President Obama for "coming out" and declaring that he is homosexual. The President rang him “to express his support and said he was impressed by his courage,” according to the White House Twitter account.

Once upon a time a man had to risk his life by taking on an enemy platoon to save his comrades or dash into a burning building to save a trapped child. No longer. Hero status is now for those who "come out", in the case of Collins after living for eight years with his fiancée, Carolyn Moos, who fully expected to marry him until he dumped her.

Did she get a phone call from the Oval Office? Of course not. Hero status is reserved for those who "come out", not for those they leave behind.

....

Read more: www.mercatornet.com