AMERICAN HEROES

There is a certain kind of man that this country still produces, despite all the prominence given to defective “celebrities.” He is not the sort to seek the limelight, never engages in shameless self-promotion, and abides by an ancient code of honor in all endeavors in life. Such a man is Captain Richard Phillips of the Maersk Alabama, who was willing to sacrifice himself to save his crew, prior to his rescue by US Navy Seals, whom we can also be justly proud of, (and Pres. Obama deserves credit for authorizing the rescue). Such a man is Captain “Sully” Sullenberger, who successfully landed his commercial jet in the Hudson River, saving all the passengers. The heroic nature of such men may be masked by their quiet of day to day competence, but when the occasion arises they are there at the ready. They are men who seek nothing more than to live peaceful, normal lives, but who resolutely extend themselves in a burst of heroic grace when the situation calls for it. Although they are “old white men” they are the sort that ought to be held up as role models, instead of the egomaniacs who seek the public spotlight or, the Hollywood sort of posturing, i.e. feigning courage where none is required (the George Clooney Syndrome). These are the sort of men that the reflect the best of what we are, the best of what we have been, and hopefully the best we shall continue to be.

AND SCOUNDRELS

Execrable members of the congressional “black caucus” recently met with the Castro brothers in Cuba, and subsequently heaped praise upon them, while calling for an end to US restrictions on the Cuban dictatorship. Not a word about the countless thousands of victims of the regime, nor of the political prisoners held in miserable conditions for having the temerity to dissent. They didn’t whisper a word about those victims to Castro, as they were too busy discussing American “racism.” They didn’t even ask to see the dissidents languishing away as political prisoners. No, these communist sympathizers gushed over Castro, because of course the United States is responsible for all that is wrong.