The Heroic Antihero

Some people have called Pamela Geller a hero. Others have complained that she is nothing more than a trouble maker whose troublesome speech should be stifled. Other than the stifled part, she is both. You can still be a hero, even if you are being self serving, when you put yourself in the line of fire to prove a point. 

This is exactly what Ms. Geller did. She knew that by organizing this "Cartoon of the Prophet" contest she was stirring the embers of hate. The hate of those willing to kill to protect their vile religious concepts and to die in the effort with both feet firmly planted in the seventh century.

Many of us feel that insulting anyone's religion is rude and impolite. But rude and impolite is exactly what the First Amendment protects. Even beyond rude and impolite and right into insulting and irritating. This is America, live with it.

That being said, it is difficult to think of someone that goes out of their way to stir up trouble as a hero. Heroes are supposed to be quiet and unassuming. They are people who leap to the fore when danger threatens. That Texas cop who faced down those AK47 armed terrorists with his sidearm and won the battle is a hero. No one should question that.

The fact is that many equivocators in this country would stop our challenges to those that demand we bow down to Islam. Not before we bow down to Methodists or Episcopalians. Right now we need more heroic antiheroes. We need to be in the face of groups of any ilk that would deny any part of our God given rights. 

They must learn that we are made of sterner stuff and won't be cowed by loud voices or threats. While the people who we have elected to lead us have proven to be gutless, we Americans in fly over country are made of sterner stuff. Push us too hard and one will feel what serious push back feels like.