Redefining “Hero”

            Michael Jackson, James Brown, Jimi Hendrix, Johnny Carson, Elvis Presley, Steve Jobs. These are just a few of the Americans expected to appear on postage-stamps this year, according to an article I found on CNN.

            To give you an idea of how stamps (and the people they feature) have changed over the years, here are the first two stamps that were released in the United States. These two were released in 1847.

            Clearly, they depict Ben Franklin and George Washington. According to the US Postal Service Website, these two stamps were the only ones offered for nine years, until 1856 when a stamp that featured Thomas Jefferson was added to the collection. In 1863, a fourth stamp was released, this one featuring Andrew Jackson.

            So why does this matter? I found it peculiar, and even alarming, just how great a shift there has been in the type of people depicted on stamps. I mean, for the first 16 years of the stamp’s existence, you pretty much had to be a president or a founding father to have had your picture on a stamp. Only people of substance and those who had long lasting, meaningful influence on their fellow Americans were chosen. These people shaped our beliefs about who we are as a nation, as well as our values.

            Now, however, it seems as though our heroes (and I say heroes because you have to be a pretty influential person to get your picture on a stamp!) include a much broader range of people. Musicians, actors, comedians, CEO’s, etc. have been deemed important enough to earn stamp-worthy status.  As evidenced by the stamp below that features the Simpson’s character Homer, even cartoon characters are given this honor once reserved for only Presidents and Founding Fathers!

            I may be making this into a bigger issue than it really is, but it is shocking to me that we have gone from putting Founding Fathers on our stamps to putting cartoon characters like Homer Simpson on them. Don’t get me wrong – I love the Simpsons! But there is a time and a place for them. That place should not be a postage stamp. I find distasteful and disrespectful to put Homer Simpson and George Washington on the same level by having them both be on the stamps. I mean, come on, can you really compare the contribution and impact that Homer Simpson has had to those of Washington, Franklin, and Jefferson?

How do you feel? What does this say about our definition of heroes?

Fame = Felony

            The Blade Runner, Oscar Pistorius, was one of my favorite athletes. He is a track star who made history by becoming the first double leg amputee athlete to ever compete in the Olympics. A man worthy of being called a sports hero, right?

Perhaps not. In case you haven’t heard, Pistorius has been in the news a lot lately because of the ongoing trial in which he is being charged for the premeditated murder of his girlfriend. On Valentine’s Day of last year, Pistorius fatally shot Reeva Steenkamp. However, Oscar claims that the murder of Steenkamp was “a tragic error” and that he “mistook her for an intruder” (CNN article). Nonetheless, things are not looking too great for Oscar right now. If he is found guilty, Pistorius will join a long list of professional athletes who have been found guilty of committing murder or other serious crimes.

For example, the percentage of players in the NFL with criminal records is alarmingly high (football is by far the most popular sport in America, according to the Harris Poll). In Pros and Cons: The criminals who play in the NFL, a book written by Jeff Benedict and Don Yaeger, it is revealed that 21 percent of NFL players have been arrested or charged for felonies. In addition, here a list of the NFLers who have been arrested in the past four months (list taken from the NFL Arrests Database).

As you can see, these pro athletes, the idols of so many young Americans, are commonly charged with serious crimes. As professional athletes, I would argue that they have an increased responsibility to behave in a respectable and responsible manner. As the stars of America’s favorite sport, they are highly visible and attract a lot of attention. Because of this, it is that much more important for them to set a good example. They have the privilege of being famous, and with that privilege comes responsibility. They need to give back to their fans by being good role models. Yet, clearly, many of them are doing just the opposite.

What do you think? What, if anything, should be done to rectify this issue? Perhaps a system of league punishments…?