Sometimes a writer can be so insightful about war, politics and psychology that his thoughts should be repeated and studied.
Blogger J.D. Johannes achieved that rare pinnacle when he penned a critique of all the latest anti-war movies, and why they will fail at the box office, but his analysis goes far beyond the entertainment community.

“When confronted with a real life situation, like the wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and larger war on terror, a few will step up to be heroes.

“The many who do not have the ability to step up fall into two categories — those who acknowledge their inability to be heroes and those who do not.

“Being a hero is not a job for everyone, many accept this and give credit to those who are willing to take the challenge.  But there is another group for whom the sting of their own cowardice is too much to bear.  They are not willing to accept that they cannot be heroes.

“They cannot accept that, even if they were younger or had the physical ability to confront a violent villain, they would shrink from the challenge. To alleviate their guilt they invent a new villain — Halliburton, Cheney, neo-cons, politicians, military officers, Soldiers, Marines — in short, anyone who will not physically harm them.”

The substitute version of the hero story won’t fly because so many Americans — unlike the writers and producers in Hollywood — know who our real enemy is,” according to Johannes.

This dichotomy plays out in our politics. New York columnist Frank Rich is in the fake heroes/fake villains category. His latest column basically complained the nation is in a quasi-fascist condition: “The Bush years have brought an even more effective assault on those institutions from within. While the public has not erupted in riots, the executive branch has subverted the rule of law in often secretive increments. The results amount to a quiet coup, ultimately more insidious than a blatant putsch like General Musharraf’s.”

For all that nightmarish terror in our nation, it must be noted the Mr. Rich, and his employers, are doing quiet well, making a great deal of money and not having to hide in closets.

Ayaan Hirsi Ali is the Somali immigrant who doesn’t hide in closets but does have bodyguards with her whenever she ventures out.
Criticizing the radical jihadists and Islam doesn’t pay as well as whining about the Bush administration, but it’s a considerably more dangerous activity. In addition to her lectures, Ali collaborated on a film critical of Islam with Dutch filmmaker Theo Van Gogh. A Dutch jihadist later murdered Van Gogh.

Ms. Ali, like our soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan, is a real hero. The job is time-consuming and demanding, dangerous, gritty and doesn’t have a pay scale of a New York Times columnist.

However, just as most people refuse to see Hollywood’s idiotic movies, they can also discern the difference between a wise and courageous woman and a rather pathetic, silly man.