Misapplied Heroes

 

People often erect for themselves icons or heroes based on ideological drivers. Often times however, these heroes betray the very thing that they are idealized for, which may show the weaknesses of the ideologies. Here is a short list of some names that have stood out to me.

1. Donald Trump

    There's so much that can be said of Trump, but he is often cited for building a stable economy prior to covid-19. Yet, after a little digging, this heroism is dashed as the progression of economic increase is demonstrably shown to have begun under Obama. Surely, Trump can be credited with maintaining growth, but hardly by the hyperbolic margins he presented. The truth is, Trump has only been perceived to be so stellar, largely through self-applied publicity, aggrandizing statements, and spin. A deeper look will show Trump to be an economic protectionist, which is unsustainable for a global economic power as ours.    

2. Betty Page

    Page was the 1950s pin-up girl queen, known for her provocative nudes. She was the heartthrob of many men and she inspired many women as a emblem of empowerment. However, she later became a Christian and eventually had a psychiatric breakdown under the pressure of celebrity. She is still revered for her modeling, despite the psychological toll it took on her. Are we glorifying the best things?

3. Matthew Shepard

    Shepard was a gay college student in Wyoming who was killed in 1998, which eventually led to hate crimes legislation and the spotlight on crimes against the LGBTQ community. He has become a poster child for the gay rights movement. Yet, since I have moved to Wyoming, because I work in a law enforcement adjacent field, I have heard from some of the investigators in the Shepard case that the heart of the case was not Shepard's homosexuality, but a drug deal gone bad. Yet, the LGBTQ movement capitalized on the incident and sensationalized it. There's more that can be said, but the portrayal by the gay rights movement is only a half-truth.   

4. Roe

    Norma McCorvey or "Jane Roe" is the subject of the Roe v. Wade abortion legalization case. In 1995, Roe recanted her abortion stance and became pro-life. Before she died in 2017, she claimed that her pro-life stance was just a ruse. Some clergy posit that she actually never lost her pro-life stance. Regardless, she shows the defeating degradation of the abortion industry. There's always more to the story. 

5. James Shupe

    Shupe was the first government recognized non-binary gendered person in America, who claimed to be a woman in a man's body. Four years after his non-binary status was given, he returned to being a man and has since built a family. He has denounced gender neutrality.

In each of these cases are heroes raised on pedestals by fans or supporters, but largely for skewed reasons. We ought never raise people to such standards without knowing the depth and breadth or fullness of their lives. We jump to conclusions even here.