Memorial Day | Las Vegas Advisor

Happy Memorial Day

This year, on the day set aside to remember and honor the men and women who died while serving in the military, we also salute all those who've made the ultimate sacrifice in the service of saving the lives of others.

Joseph Campbell, the professor of literature who specialized in comparative mythology, defined a hero as "someone who has given one's life to something bigger than oneself."

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Jeff May-25-2020

Joseph Campbell

I honor -- and remember more and more intensely each year as I age -- those who died in service for their country.

Having said that, Joseph Campbell was not the greatest choice for a Memorial Day quote, because he not only specialized in comparative mythology, he also specialized in comparing Jews to other people and not in a good way. In other words, he was an anti-Semite. His bigotry was only revealed in his private conversations that did not become public until after his death which explains why Bill Moyers on his TV show, unknowingly, made a star out of a little known college professor and bigot.

There are many others who made quotable remarks about the heroism we honor today who don't carry the baggage of racism. For example:

Arthur Ashe, "True heroism is not the urge to surpass all others at whatever cost, but the urge to serve others at whatever cost."

Question of the Day - 25 May 2020

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