Daniel Hernandez is a Real American hero.
Perhaps you have read about the 20 year old congressional intern named Daniel Hernandez. He had been hired as an intern not five days before the horrible shooting. He was there at the Safeway on Saturday working the admission gates. When the shooting started, he ran towards (!) the gunfire, checked on two victims who were already dead, and then came upon the Congresswoman, shot in the head but amazingly still alive. He cradled her in his lap, keeping her slightly elevated, and then applied pressure to both entry and exit wounds. Multiple reports state that Mr. Hernandez’s quick reaction in applying pressure to the wound, preventing Ms. Giffords from bleeding out at the scene.
When we Americans think of ourselves, we like to think that we are a strong and tough yet compassionate and humane. And when we think of what makes a hero, does Mr. Hernandez’s actions not fit the classic definition? I don’t think anyone can doubt that Mr. Hernandez is a real American hero. And yet, to some Americans, before Saturday, Mr. Hernandez was not a real American hero. He was, and perhaps still is (to them), a real American villian, for the sole reasons that he is Hispanic and openly gay.
I hope President Obama invites Mr. Hernandez to the State of the Union Address in a few weeks so that he can be showcased to all of America as a true role model.
Oh Christmas–excepting the gay and Hispanic part (was this really necessary?)–I’m more impressed he was only 20!!! Our next generation is looking great!!! Thanks for sharing.
I thought it was, considering that Mr. Hernandez can be pulled over in Arizona for the crime of being brown, and considering that Hispanics and Gays are often the punching bags of the social right. Further, Sarah Palin and the Teabaggers refer to only themselves as Real Americans. I thought it was necessary to point out that Mr. Hernandez is as real an American as they, if not more so.
Now c’mon DD–pulled over in AZ for doing something wrong, and then be questioned about legal status. Watch the volume of the rhetoric. Let’s all do our part:) — remember?
Now Joanne, let’s not confuse issues here. The violent rhetoric must end. Describing what could happen as a result of SB1070 in Arizona and elsewhere (being pulled over while brown) is not violent rhetoric. Notice we are not saying here that the Teabaggers’ rhetoric about spending being unconstitutional is violent or needs to be toned down. They are wrong, just as you may think I am wrong on SB1070, but it is not violent rhetoric until you add, well, violent rhetoric, like “and those who tax and spenders must be taken out.”
“punching bags of the social right”…..I know DD, you’re a work in progress:)
Look at us both at the dinner hour playing on the keyboard–I’m between meetings–and here we are a couple of lib/cons having a meaningful, engaging, mature dialogue. Ebony and Ivory right here folks…come sing along…..
As I admitted in my post “Both Sides” on Saturday, it is very easy to use violent metaphors in political discussion. We must all be a work in progress.
You’re a giant DelDem!!!