craigfarmer
Member
- Joined
- Dec 17, 2004
- Messages
- 175
- Reaction score
- 6
Leave it to me, a Newliberal to question the accolades of a "hero" in the Watergate saga. True, I wasn't politically active in my first five years of life but, from what I've learned, the word "HERO" doesn't apply.
A hero needs to either have given up a better opportunity for goodness' sake or risked injury for a a noble reason.
From all of the accounts, the personal motivation of W Mark Felt was anger and jealousy over the replacement after J. Edgar Hoover's death.
Implicit in all of this was that he wouldn't have informed the press of Nixon's deeds in the way he did, had he been pleased with the new FBI director, particularly if it was himself.
Perhaps only he knows if this is truly accurate, but no one has really disputed his upset with the President at the time.
EVEN STILL, he could have been a hero if he would have taken personal responsibility at the time or shortly thereafter. He either broke the law or violated FBI rules. He should have admitted this, and explained why it was necessary. This would have surely truncated any further political or government aspirations, but would have shown a willingness to accept the consequences of his behavior. You can't promote the rule of law while breaking it UNLESS YOU ACCEPT THE RESULTS.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was a hero because he knowingly subjected himself to the punishment of unjust laws that he violated. Thereby he worked to undo those very laws. That's what heroes do. It doesn't work when the hero tries to avoid the turmoil and pursue personal goals.
You can't be a hero and all the while look out for your best interests for years and decades.
History will probably show that "Deep Throat" was a key component in exposing corruption in the American Government.
That W. Mark Felt might not be a heroic figure is not a curse. By definition there are only a few heroes. He was apart of a good process that helped revitalize the greatest government in the world.
For this, he deserves the proper mention, but heroic praise should be reserved for people who are willing to submit their personal ambitions and interests to a greater good.
Craig Farmer
making the word "liberal" safe again!
A hero needs to either have given up a better opportunity for goodness' sake or risked injury for a a noble reason.
From all of the accounts, the personal motivation of W Mark Felt was anger and jealousy over the replacement after J. Edgar Hoover's death.
Implicit in all of this was that he wouldn't have informed the press of Nixon's deeds in the way he did, had he been pleased with the new FBI director, particularly if it was himself.
Perhaps only he knows if this is truly accurate, but no one has really disputed his upset with the President at the time.
EVEN STILL, he could have been a hero if he would have taken personal responsibility at the time or shortly thereafter. He either broke the law or violated FBI rules. He should have admitted this, and explained why it was necessary. This would have surely truncated any further political or government aspirations, but would have shown a willingness to accept the consequences of his behavior. You can't promote the rule of law while breaking it UNLESS YOU ACCEPT THE RESULTS.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was a hero because he knowingly subjected himself to the punishment of unjust laws that he violated. Thereby he worked to undo those very laws. That's what heroes do. It doesn't work when the hero tries to avoid the turmoil and pursue personal goals.
You can't be a hero and all the while look out for your best interests for years and decades.
History will probably show that "Deep Throat" was a key component in exposing corruption in the American Government.
That W. Mark Felt might not be a heroic figure is not a curse. By definition there are only a few heroes. He was apart of a good process that helped revitalize the greatest government in the world.
For this, he deserves the proper mention, but heroic praise should be reserved for people who are willing to submit their personal ambitions and interests to a greater good.
Craig Farmer
making the word "liberal" safe again!
