It was the hero’s day yesterday, November 10, 2003 in Indonesia.  The president decided not to lead the country in the commemoration of the day. It seems it was a trivial decision by President Megawati, although politically it wasn’t given the general election is only a few months away. But put politics aside, it became clear that there was something very fundamental missing from yesterday: the national understanding about the spirit of heroism and the spirit of unity.

Whatever the reasons behind the Megawati’s decision to “abandon” the day, apparently her advisers do not – or for that matter the president herself does not – really understand the context and the spirit of the day.  Inspired by the heroic resistance of the Indonesian fighters in the battle of Surabaya in November 1945 against the Allied’s invasion (or the British and the Holland) as well as by the heroic struggle demonstrated by Indonesian fighters through out the country, the nation has marked the day as a hero’s day for decades.  It is nothing but about the spirit of heroism and the spirit of unity against enemies. While by all means the nation is right, not all of her people, including her leaders are right about it.

One is only left to wonder whether the President and her advisers think that the moment of fighting/struggle is over. Or, much worse, that the era of unity against enemies is no longer necessary. But that would contradict the name of Megawati’s own party: Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle. And if anyone is wonder that unity is no longer needed in building a better Indonesia – democratic, prosperous and united, one may need to look back to two or three years ago where the speculation widely circulated among media, scholars, politicians, leaders and even the folks was: the fear of the Balkanization of Indonesia.

The spirit of heroism and the spirit of unity are and will always be needed in building a better Indonesia.

But leaders, especially national leaders, must put them in the right context or view them from a far-reaching and wider horizon. It is true that our enemies are no longer the British and the Deutsch soldiers. We are no longer fighting against the colonialization. But we still do have common enemies. They are neither foreigners nor foreigners with guns and tanks. Our common enemies are ourselves and the conditions that worsen our people’s lives.

It is the enemies within and the enemies around us.

Our enemies are those who have corrupted the nation and those who have put the nation’s future at a great or complete uncertainty. Our enemies are the conditions such as poverty, ignorance, intolerance, immorality, self-centre attitude and laziness that have strongly impede any efforts to build a better nation. Megawati should have put these two kinds of enemies at the right context.

Clearly, we cannot fight those two kinds of enemies with sharpened bamboos just like our heroes in 1945 did when they fought the colonial power. Our weapons are not guns, tanks or jet fighter Sukhoi. But our weapons are law, regulations, education, compassion and motivation. These weapons are neutral and it is the people who use them that determine their usefulness or purpose. A knife in the hand of a chef is a tool to make a delicious food. But a knife in the hand of a murderer is a tool to kill people.

Equivalently, a law in the mind of deceitful or wicked people is an instrument to be broken for self-centre motives at the expense of others. For opportunists and deceitful people, today's situation in the country perhaps is a heaven to capitalize from the lack of law enforcement and many loopholes in the country.  A fresh example is the latest BNI scandal which involves the alleged issue of letters of credit for non-existent sand exports to Africa worth $200 million. Although the bank has said that it is attempting to recover part of its exposure, estimates of potential loss for the bank that have been reported thus far are in the region of $110 million. But a law in the mind of good people is an instrument to be abided for the good of the nation.

Education in the possession of good people is an opportunity to learn about nature and human beings so that they could think and create a better way of improving their relationship with nature and with their fellow human beings. The entire purpose of education, as John Dewey wrote, is “to nurture individuals to discover their full power and potential” for the benefits of mankinds. On the contrary, education in the possession of opportunist people is a chance to grab a big private gain by leaving others in pain.

Whether the well educated Indonesians have fully grasped their potential and their obligation to build a better country remains subject to a debate. But for the last 35 years, much of the nation’s resources have been corrupted by the country’s bureaucrats with their collusion with the country’s businessmen. It is hard to argue that those bureaucrats who committed such practices are the less educated ones. What missing from them, therefore, is not so much their managerial or intellectual capabilities. What is really absent is their spirit of heroism. 

Motivation in the minds of corrupt politicians and (group) leaders is a mess to the nation’s future and a grass to selves. In contrasts, motivation is the minds of good-clean politicians and (group) leaders is a rosy future of the nation. So, what missing from the nation’s political (and groups) leaders is not so much their leadership or intellectual capabilities. What is really absent is their spirit of heroism. 

Webster's Ninth Collegiate Dictionary defines "hero as: a) "a mythological or legendary figure often of divine descent endowed with great strength or ability, b) an illustrious warrior, c) a man admired for his achievements and noble qualities, d) one that shows great courage." These attempts at defining the nature of a hero are woefully inadequate. There is a predominant emphasis on the physical, on great strength, courage and warlike prowess which are placed secondly after mind, intellect and moral character (noble qualities).

My definition of hero is an individual with high moral stature and superior ability who pursues his goals persistently and patiently in the face of powerful adversary(ies) and temptation for the benefits of self and his surroundings. Because of his unfailing devotion to the good, no matter the opposition and temptation, a hero attains spiritual grandeur, even in he fails to achieve practical victory. Thus, the components of heroism are moral greatness, competency, courage, action in the face of opposition, triumph in at least a spiritual, if not a physical, form and the balanced between social and personal concerns.

Simply, heroes are the ones who hold rational values and fight for them through a positive way; heroes are roles model who serve as an inspiration to others and make a difference in society; heroes are individuals dedicated to the creation and/or defense of reality-conforming and life-promoting values; heroes are the individuals who creates values; and heroes are the ones who defend the creator from evil, the ones who regards human life as precious.

Thus, heroes are the peacemakers who have led the way to non-violent change and resolutions to conflicts; heroes are the business people who have successfully created businesses through constructive ways which society has benefited from; heroes are the artists who have shared their talents and brought us a new version of life; heroes are the writers whose words and stories added meaning to our lives; heroes are the fathers and the mothers who endure hardships and have gone through struggles in order to raise their children to become better individuals; heroes are the scientist whose research and dedication have helped our quality of life; heroes are the teachers who inspire us to learn; heroes the honest sportsmen and sportswomen whose incredible feats have made us strive for greatness; heroes are the givers who give some of their own fortunes for the benefits of others; and heroes the “good Samaritan” strangers who can lift our spirit or give us hope through acts of unconditional kindness.

So, heroism is not simply about death defying feats, but is about making a positive difference and improving lives through a positive mean.

Imagine a world without heroes; a world which is only dwelled by haters whose main goals in life are just to destroy others; a world filled by deceitful whose main objective is to take chances for a self-glory at the expense of others; a world filled by people who care only the ends than the means; a homo-homini lupus world; a world is envisaged by Nietzche where talks about truth actually are merely power struggles. Surely, that would be an Andrea’s and Galileo’s world as described by the following conversation:

Andrea (Galileo’s student): "Unhappy is the land that has no heroes."
Galileo: "No Andrea, unhappy is the land that needs a hero."
Bertolt Brecht, Galileo

Our nation is not so much different from Andrea’s and Galileo’s world. We desperately need heroes - the heroes that inspire others to make a positive difference and color the dreams of our youth – in order to make ours a better nation. We live in tumultuous times. We continue to deal with the external as well as the internal threats of terrorism. We must deal with the various conflicts in many parts of the country.  We must create enormous number of jobs for our people to survive. We must take care of huge inefficiencies in the plans and the implementations of our development programs.

Our nation badly needs heroes and the yesterday hero’s day would be a great momentum to remind the Indonesian people of the critical importance of the need. There should have been a national campaign to promote and recognize heroes. And Megawati should have publicly declared the yesterday hero’s day as the first day for the campaign.

But the ignorance of the great importance of the hero’s day is not exclusive to Megawati. National media outlets such as the influential Kompas and the Jakarta Post have their headlines on November 11, 2003 “There is an indication that terrorists will attack Bali again” and “Hasyim tells U.S. not to intervene in 'pesantren'”. It’s all about terrorism. It is all about the anti-hero.

Yesterday has gone. Nevertheless Megawati, other national leaders and the press should at least sing Mariah Carey’s Hero to Indonesian people:

And then a hero comes along

With the strength to carry on

And you cast your fears aside

And you know you can survive

So when you feel like hope is gone

Look inside you and be strong

And you'll finally see the truth

That a hero lies in you