Let’s not hold him up as a hero, please

The other day, a spokesman for the Democratic National Committee stated that Richard Clarke was a “folk hero.” My-oh-my, like the late Jimmy Stewart was or the characters he typically portrayed?

I don’t think so. Heroes we admire are modest, unpretentious — admired for what they did almost always risking their lives, their fortunes or their reputations. They don’t boast. They don’t give presumptuous “apologies” on behalf of others or themselves in circumstances (I believe we all understand) that can’t be either fully predicted or controlled. Although true heroes sometimes engage in self-serving behavior like hawking self -promoting books, we understand but do not necessarily admire. Heroes are people whom we hope our children and grandchildren will respect and emulate. So let’s honor true heroes — not some pompous, self-serving and self-impeaching prig like Clarke.

Langley