In early 1940, Hiram Bingham faced a tough decision: he could follow his government's orders to ignore the Nazi holocaust, thereby keeping his comfortable position as US vice-consul in Marseilles, or he could defy State Department policy by issuing life-saving US visas to French Jews and anti-Nazi activists. Bingham chose the latter, and as a result helped 2,500 escape persecution. Bingham's reward? He lost his post, was drummed out of the Service, and died almost penniless.
Fast forward to 2002, and Hiram Bingham is being feted as a hero. U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell praised his risking "life and career" to do the right thing, and the American Foreign Service association recently gave Bingham a posthumous award for "constructive dissent."
"Constructive dissent" - now there's an interesting term, especially in these "you're with us or with the enemy" days of equating dissent with terrorism. It makes you wonder what kind of modern-day law breakers will be trumpeted as heroes 60 years down the road ... and which of our contemporary holocausts will be seen as worthy to have fought.
Fast forward to 2002, and Hiram Bingham is being feted as a hero. U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell praised his risking "life and career" to do the right thing, and the American Foreign Service association recently gave Bingham a posthumous award for "constructive dissent."
"Constructive dissent" - now there's an interesting term, especially in these "you're with us or with the enemy" days of equating dissent with terrorism. It makes you wonder what kind of modern-day law breakers will be trumpeted as heroes 60 years down the road ... and which of our contemporary holocausts will be seen as worthy to have fought.