Letter to the Editor: Bigger heroes
BY Gary Cheatham, Tulsa
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
9/25/12 at 3:01 AM
Doonesbury followers are seeing an interesting fact versus fiction plot-line expansion. The fictional cartoon character Red Rascal's history is about a young man who joins the CIA and goes to Afghanistan to help defeat the Taliban and al-Qaida. He turns out to be a bumbler of little help to the CIA or anyone else.
Still, in his own mind he is a courageous and beneficial hero. He imagines himself protecting many and surviving numerous encounters with the enemy. After being sent home by the CIA for lack of aptitude and ability, he tells all who will listen about his many contributions to the cause of justice. He even writes a book describing these imaginary exploits, which sells big and makes him wealthy.
This story line was established long before one of America's real life heroes played a role in killing the al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden in Pakistan. And now the Red Rascal's counterpart has written a book that is just as sure to sell big and make him wealthy.
I do not begrudge this soldier the money he makes from the book. He is a hero no doubt and deserves the rewards, but the bigger heroes are still the guys who do the job and keep quiet about it. Those are the guys I salute.
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