Reading this, you are probably thinking "huh?" Well, with the passing
of probably the greatest mime of all time, Marcel Marceau, I thought I
should highlight a part of this man's life that I think is important
for people to see. You see, he wasn't always a mime...he became one
after World War Two ended. Before the war he was Marcel Mangel, a
French Jew who changed his last name to hide his identity from
approaching Nazi forces. His father wasn't so lucky...he died at the
Auschwitz concentration camp in 1944. He joined the French Resistance
and helped the cause of freedom through changing birth dates on Jewish
children's ID cards to trick the Nazis into thinking they were too young
to be deported, protecting many French children from Nazi
concentration camps and certain death. He also served as a liaison
with U.S. General George S. Patton's forces.
I believe Marcel Marceau should be remembered as a hero as well as a
great performer. When I think of his heroism, I start thinking about
what many in our country and around the world have done and do for
those of us who value and honor freedom, especially those serving in
the U.S. armed forces right now in places like Afghanistan and Iraq.
These people deserve our thanks and gratefulness for everything they
do. It also brings me to wonder how people such as the current Bush
Administration and its sycophants can wrap themselves in our flag
preaching their "spread of freedom around the world" yet continue to
pervert, poison, distort, dishonor, marginalize, and stomp on
everything that freedom stands for. Their hypocrisy can only be
challenged and stopped by continuing to recognize and honoring those
who have truly struggled for freedom here and abroad....those such as
our armed forces and a simple mime from France. Later and God Bless.
