Where Have All the Heroes Gone?

Daisy Schultz (with assistance from Shelly Williams) - Special to theskinnyonbenny.com

Zzzzzzzzz, zzzzzzzzzzzz, zzzzzzzzzzzz, zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. I’m running through a field with the wind in my ears. My tail is wagging. My nose has picked up the scent of a rabbit. I’m hot on it’s trail. “Cough, Cough, Sputter, Sputter!!” I am awaken from my lovely dream with dirt, sticks and leaves in my eyes and up my nose. Suddenly, I feel someone gently wiping the debris from my eyes. I look up to thank my owner, but to my surprise, it is not him. Instead, it is a lovely young woman named Megan, whom I have met before but with whom I am still unfamiliar. She consoles me and tells me it will be OK. I can hear the pity in her voice. I wonder what happened. Did a storm suddenly blow in? Did the hurricane take an unexpected turn and head to LSU?

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We had been on campus for sometime. I was having a great day. My friend Shelly came to play. (She’s so silly, she likes to call me Lazy instead of Daisy since I’m not quite as spry as I use to be.) Most of the strangers I met during the day were friendly; patted me on the head and gave me some food (OK, sometimes I took it from them while they weren’t looking, but I’m a dog after all). I remember laying down for a nap after a hearty snack of burgers and other tailgate droppings. What caused me to be rudely awakened with dirt all over me?

I was saddened to learn that someone (who for the sake of this article we will call “fat bastard” to protect the identity of his innocent child and wife from the embarrassment of this situation) had kicked the dirt and debris on me while I was sleeping. Had I done something to offend him? Did I accidentally pee on his tires? Had I inadvertently spilled his beer? (Please note that I personally saw him spill at least six or seven of his own beers and knock over my owner’s beer on three or four other occasions - - what, you think because I am a dog, I cannot count?)

While I find his behavior despicable, what hurts me even more is that my owner, the man I have come to love and trust, did not attempt to protect me or come to my aide. But for the grace of the angelic Megan, I may still have dirt in my eyes. I heard Shelly and Melissa yelling at the fat bastard to leave me alone. I heard my female owner yell at my male owner to do something to help me. (I secretly thought she always liked the cats better than me, but now, I’m not so sure.) The angel Megan made sure I was OK. I looked up to my male owner, only to see him take another swig of beer.

At some point in the evening, I heard my friend Shelly tell my male owner that he had no honor. That made me think. What is honor? Did my male owner lack honor? What about Megan? Did she have honor? Was she a hero for coming to my aide? Did she posses bravery that my male owner didn’t? I use to think him brave. He can climb things and use all kind of neat electrical equipment. He has always been so kind to me in the past. Has something changed? Did I misinterpret his prior actions? What did Shelly mean when she said he had no honor?

After my owners went to sleep, I got on line to do some research into honor, virtue and heroism. (Yes, I can use the computer and here’s a little secret, your pet can too.) I learned that a medal of honor was given to servicemen who distinguish themselves by their gallantry and heroic actions during times of war. Many heroes are legends who bravely risked their lives while conquering some inconceivable obstacle. In this century, heroes are more akin to role models who serve as an inspiration to others and make a difference in society. Honor is defined as a keen sense of ethical conduct or integrity. William Shakespeare knew the importance of honor and wrote of it in many of his plays. In fact, many of his main characters struggled with the issue of honor and integrity. Shakespeare wrote the following about honor:

• If it be a sin to covet honor, I am the most offending soul. (Henry V)
  
• Mine honor is my life; both grow in one; Take honor from me, and my life is done. (King Richard)
  
• Cowards die many times before their deaths; The valiant never taste of death but once. (Julius Caesar)
  
• Life every man holds dear; but the dear man holds honor far more precious dear than life. (Troilus and Cressida)
  

(What you think because I am a dog I don’t read Shakespeare? Humans are so self absorbed!!)

I considered the struggle of some of Shakespeare’s characters and the struggle of every creature to do the right thing. I considered Buddha’s theory that the stages of the noble path are: right view, right thought, right speech, right behavior, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness and right concentration. (Yes, even dogs believe in a higher power.)

Buddha also wrote that:

Just as treasures are uncovered from the earth, so virtue appears from good deeds, and wisdom appears from a pure and peaceful mind. To walk safely through the maze of human life, one needs the light of wisdom and the guidance of virtue.

Virtue is a particular moral excellence. And, "Honor is the reward of virtue" (Marcus Cicero.) This made me think, did my male owner lack moral excellence? I don’t truly believe this to be the case. After all, he did rescue me, and the cats for that matter, from the pound. So why did he not defend me when the fat bastard attacked me so viciously? Was he afraid that his friends would think less of him for defending a dog? You may hastily say, "well who cares what others think of you?" However, Marcus Cicero said "To disregard what the world thinks of us is not only arrogant but utterly shameless." But what about what Henry David Throeau said? "Whatever the human law may be, neither an individual nor a nation can commit the least act of injustice against the obscurest individual without having to pay the penalty for it." Given that Thoreau was a lover of animals, I believe he meant for this to apply to injustice against animals as well. After hours of reading, I came to the following conclusion: real honor and heroism is not simply about death defying feats, but is about making a positive difference and improving lives. Simply because I walk on four instead of two legs, do I deserve any less? After all, Aesop said, "No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted." So next time you see an injustice done to a man or beast, remember "What we do in life, echoes in eternity? Strength and Honor." (Maximus, the Gladiator) (Yes, dogs watch movies too.)