Sgt. Lopez fulfilled his obligations
[Written to Sgt. J. Lopez, USMC, hostage in Iran from Nov. 1979 – Jan. 1981
and also published in the Holland Sentinel, 5 February 1981]
Sergeant:
During World War II, I was in the Polish Underground Army. After the Warsaw Insurrection in 1944, I became a prisoner of war in Germany. Neither of these facts made me a hero. Many of our men were real heroes: most are buried under the ruins of Warsaw, some came out alive. There was no "welcome home" for any of us, since we lost our country to the Communists.
Korea and Vietnam produced many heroes who now rest under foreign soil. There were heroes among those crippled and tired Americans who came back to their home country. Thanks largely to the news media, however, those wars had not been popular, so there was no "welcome home" for them. On the contrary, the news media and much of the public spat on them. Those veterans are bitter and disillusioned.
No wonder that I heard one of them say on television that "our heroes are in Arlington Cemetery." Just today, I heard a radio report from Chicago, where the police had shot a man in a disturbance. The man's wife explained that he, a Vietnam veteran, became so despondent after the "heroes' welcome" of the past two weeks that he lost control and became violent.
Now you freed Americans have come back to America and have received a big "welcome home." For security or other reasons, we may never fully know whether one, or some, or all of you were heroes. Let every one of you examine his or her own conscience. Be that as it may, I believe, especially when I think about the rescue mission and the eight men who died for you all, that this "hero" talk concerning you freed Americans has been carried to the point of absurdity and hysteria by the news media and also by the general public.
One wonders why. Perhaps the American spirit has sunk so low that an image of heroism and greatness had to be created to satisfy the hunger of the masses for someone or something to look up to?
On January 30, I saw and heard you on television. I can readily understand that you find the American news media objectionable and I congratulate you for saying, "I only fulfilled my obligation." I salute you and respect you highly for this.
I am glad that you are home. My best wishes to you.