On Faith, Heroes, and Hope.

I have faith in humanity. Coming from a self-described cynic, that profession of faith may sound contradictory. Maybe it is. I am aware of that.

Let me explain.

That faith is not based on believing all people good or heroic, smart or wise. Some clearly are not and will never be. It would take too much self-delusion, I think, to deny that in this movie there really are “bad” guys (I use scare quotes deliberately).

With the “good” guys things are more complicated. There are no 100% pure angels, but even among those closer to that ideal, the distance between ideal and reality varies over time, as a function of many things.

Extreme situations is one of those things. They always motivate both the best and worst in people.

It is in extreme situations that we, the people, with all our failings and weaknesses, shine in a way others, higher up the pecking order, seldom can. We often are the worst affected by extreme situations and the ones with the least to lose from solutions, while (at least in the short term) the more privileged one is, the more exalted in one’s own eyes and in the eyes of others, the less affected one is and the more to lose one has.

But even for us, the people, things are more complex than that. The personal experience of Triple J’s James Purtill is relevant.

You see, my faith in little people is not founded on romanticism, but on fact and experience and the observation that we have no choice.

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As I’ve written before, front line rural firefighters (and logistic officers) are volunteers. Some are retirees, but often they still need to make a living away from their volunteering. That imposes a burden on them. But there is more to it than that, for while attempting to protect others, they frequently risk their livelihoods and even their own lives and health.

And firefighters have lost their own homes, fighting to save someone else’s; many have been injured and two of them last week paid the ultimate price. Geoffrey Keaton and Andrew O’Dwyer, from the Horsley Park Rural Fire Brigade, left young families behind, with dependent children.

(source)

It’s time for us, the people, to give something back. In this festive season, let’s show the Keaton and O’Dwyer families they are not alone. The NSW Rural Fire Service set up a webpage where readers can donate directly to their families. Dig deep, comrades.

Naaman Zhou compiled donation recommendations directly from NSW, Queensland, Victoria, and South Australian firefighting services.

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Heroism comes in different shapes.

(source: Bill Ryan Facebook.)

Bill Ryan’s time for feats of physical courage was long gone. A World War II veteran and survivor of Kokoda, instead of going fishing, as a judge once advised him, 97 year-old Ryan took his walking frame to stubbornly challenge the might of Adani. For that he was arrested 7 times.

I don’t know how educated Ryan was, but there’s down to earth wisdom in his words.

Ryan died last Monday. RIP.

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(source)

At the other end of the age scale, the threat of arrest visibly upset 13 year-old Isolde (Izzy) Raj-Seppings. And yet, with dignity unexpected in someone her age, she raised her placard high above her head as she complied with the police officer’s move on order. This is her account of the event.

That’s called bravery, Izzy. Your parents must be very proud of you. I know I am.

As the people lose some heroes, others take their place.

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Greta Thunberg is right:

“Well I am telling you there is hope. I have seen it. But it does not come from governments or corporations. It comes from the people.”