Mother Teresa was one of the biggest heroes we'll ever see. And thousands of people, including her friends, forgot to ask for her autograph. Nelson Mandela is a huge hero. He spent more than two decades in prison for his beliefs. And unlike Mike Tyson, he didn't break a single television.
Most teachers are heroes, too, partly because they spend their lives educating others.
If it weren't for teachers, our children wouldn't be bright enough to read the directions on their video games. We ought to give awards to these people on national TV, like we give Oscars to actors and Grammys to musicians. We ought to give them standing ovations. We ought to tell them that they are our real heroes. Melvin Durai, a graduate of Towson State University and a former Baltimorean, is a humor columnist at the Chambersburg, Pa., Public Opinion.