I am writing it down: Today is day #2 of Heroes Week at the NDD!
Irish Proverb
What makes a hero?
Is it the one who faces physical violence or danger? Indeed, those are the first we think of when the word ‘hero’ comes up. But perhaps heroes aren’t just those who are the victims of violence. Perhaps they are also those who are the victims of intellectual and creative oppression and persecution. Perhaps they are both.
One of the most well-known examples is Galileo, who proposed that the earth revolved around the sun. He was under house arrest for the rest of his life and his academic career was ruined due to the church’s opposition to his discovery. In spite of this he continued to produce scholarly material that moved science forward. He is today commonly understood to be one of the founders of modern science. It took the Catholic Church 350 years to say they made ‘errors’ in their judgment of Galileo.
Question of the Day:
Who are some other examples of intellectuals, scholars and artists who have been persecuted and oppressed only to have their work become creatively important to the world?
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Drawing and commentary by Marty Coleman
Quote is an Irish Proverb
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Ink vs Blood – Heroes Week #2 | The Napkin Dad Daily great ideas for this world!
Thank you, Marty,for sharing with us this Irish proverb and your discussion of heroes. I thought of Harriet Beecher Stowe and her novel “Uncle Tom’s Cabin,” written in opposition of slavery. During the century of its publication, the Bible was the only book more widely read. Supporters of slavery vehemently opposed her book and claimed that she had no first-hand knowledge of the actual treatment of slaves. In an attempt to validate the events and characters depicted in her novel, Stowe published “A Key to Uncle Tom’s Cabin.” Some people credit her novel for igniting the Civil War.
Another scholarly or literary hero who comes to mind is Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, who was forced into exile after publication of “The Gulag Archipelago.” His book exposed the abuses that occurred in Soviet concentration camps and forced labor systems.
Both are examples of courageous creativity. It’s heroism at it’s best.