I never thought that in today’s world we might actually have men in our midst who harken back to the days of epic heroes. From what I have seen in my lifetime, too many of our feckless leaders usually are willing to do any corrupt, venial, or illegal activity necessary to get elected (or re-elected). There are way too many empty men and women without character leading our nations.

It bothers me that our children, who instinctually yearn for true heroes, are instead sold comic books, plastic action figures, and Hollywood fakes; how unfulfilling, how hollow, how lacking of truth or substance.

They crave a modern-day Ajax, a real Achilles, a Roland, a Ulysses — those that have come down to us in the form of epic poems. Instead, we get the likes of John Wayne, who never fought a battle, except for lung cancer.

Admittedly, we have Congressional Medal of Honor winners who, in most cases, gave the last full measure and gained their medal posthumously. These men and women certainly deserved their accolades for their actions.

However, how many of them stood up for a nation of 44 million people? How many can we say put not only their lives on the line, but their families as well? Like his countrymen, he has no place to run to — unless he wants to act like the politicians who fled from Afghanistan.

To set this perfect example requires a special person like our Cincinnatus, George Washington, or Abraham Lincoln. Someone of very rare character; one that I thought long extinct, only to be found in history books.

I am talking of course about Volodymyr Zelensky. He is the real McCoy.

Whether he lives or dies in this war, Zelensky’s place in history has already been decided. He will have epic poems written about him and his stand against Putin’s evil; statues will be erected.

Hemmingway, who saw many a good man go down in the dust while writing through three major wars, said, “A man can be destroyed but not defeated.”

Zelensky may well be destroyed by the Russians, but he will not be defeated. He will win this war for his nation and will live on in the hearts of his countrymen and inspire them to fight on.

Eugene Clegg

Enumclaw