True Heroes

So I waited with great anticipation as the clock hit 11:59 on Tuesday night, June 23rd. It was time for the midnight premiere of Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen - the sequel to the summer 2007 blockbuster hit, Transformers.

In light of the fact that we just celebrated our 233rd year of independence as a nation, I find it fitting to point out a theme that I saw in the movie. Over the last few decades, countless movies have used the concept of the military, or war, as a tool for setting or character development. Most recently, movies like Transformers, Iron Man, Wolverine, and the upcoming G.I. Joe, all use military personnel with some of their main characters.

It's funny because I've always had a personal aspiration to join the military for a period of time and serve my county, but somehow I consistently find myself occupied with a different ambition, and wonder if I will ever take the time to walk the walk and sign up. Without a doubt, the military aspiration resurfaces when watching action-packed, military-themed movies, because quite frankly Hollywood makes it look awesome. I'm sure this is the same for many movie-goers, who watch a military-based action flick and come out with adrenaline pumping through their veins and ready to sign on the dotted line.

This brings me to my main idea. These actors, the ones who play the generals, lieutenants, sargeants, and even basic infantry, they get to take all the credit. They get to provide inspiration. They get to be a young man's motivating factor to join the military. And most unfair of all, they get to be the heroes.

Why do I say unfair? Well it is no doubt that most of us consider U.S. Military personnel to be heroes because of their selfless ways, but we will never know them. Instead, the closest demonstration of heroes that we get are the well groomed, perfectly rehearsed, studs; who get to play soldiers on the big screen. They get to have fun doing stunts and taking credit for the 18-year-olds who are out there truly putting their lives on the line.

And so the point here is not to take away the quality of acting or amount of time that goes into making these blockbuster films so breath-taking and inspiring. In fact, I applaud director Michael Bay, who has used films like Transformers, Bad Boys, and The Rock, to highlight the efforts of civil servants, and probably inspired countless movie-goers to actually sign up with a recruiter. However, it's important not to forget; not to forget the true heroes who don't get the big paycheck, or the big screen popularity. In the aftermath of celebrating Independence Day, let us take time to note that without our men and women in uniform, we would not be an independent nation with the ability to have so many freedoms; freedoms such as being able to go see a movie like Transformers without having to worry for our safety on the way there. Freedoms such as being able to choose between being a high-paid, famous actor, and being an unknown soldier who risks his life everyday for the country he loves.

Never forget. Please, never forget.