Heroes and Such

This is the kickoff weekend for Olympics 2008, which brings to mind the idea of heroes. My pal Dave, who blogs at Breakfast With Pandora, having recently run a half-marathon, has one sort of hero in mind, and with appropriate respect for Dave, I have another. To me a hero is something of a servant, a person who reaches beyond the ordinary to accomplish a thing for others. In war, a hero might be one who risks his/her well-being to save the lives of others or to minimize risk to them. In an unusual circumstance of ordinary life, a hero might keep a plane from being hijacked. But in the most normal of circumstances, a hero might stop and help an elderly person change a flat tire. Or work unselfishly to better the lives of his or her family. So how is it that Olympic athletes become heroes? Athletes excel at some physical skill, perhaps by natural gifts, maybe by unusual personal drive and dedication. We couch potatoes and athletic wannabes see the end result. We cheer because we see these athletes as doing things we can't do - for us. And this is why it's a travesty that the Olympics are so wrapped up in nationalism. Yes, these athletes are heroes to their nations, but it's misplaced recognition to play national anthems at their awards ceremonies. Isn't it enough to place them on a pedestal for a moment, take photos and films for posterity, and award medals? Heroism is an odd phenomenon - it's individual effort that happens in a moment, but is commemorated forever. Let's not continue to taint the moment of such a person by nationalistic meddling.