Read Heroes for My Son for Free Online Page A

democracy—for her beloved country of Burma. Her plan? That was the surprise.
    She stuck to one principle: nonviolent demonstration.
    Â 
    The brutal Burmese leaders reacted by killing hundreds and crushing the pro-democracy rallies.
    Suu Kyi’s response was the same. Peace.
    Â 
    They placed her under house arrest without charges or a trial.
    When her pro-democracy party won the first Burmese elections held in thirty years, making her the rightful prime minister, the junta ignored the results.
    When photographs of her began to suddenly appear on street corners, Suu Kyi’s very image was banned.
    And when they offered her a way out—her freedom in return for leaving the country—Suu Kyi refused. She would never leave Burma. Not until it was free. Even if that meant she never would be.
    Â 
    She never fought with force. But she never backed down.
    Â 
    In 2003 Suu Kyi was again placed under house arrest.
    She’s still there.
    Over fourteen years of detention so far.
    She has the key—all she has to do is leave. Behave.
    Some people just don’t know how. *
    In physical stature she is petite and elegant, but in moral stature she is a giant. Big men are scared of her. Armed to the teeth and they still run scared.
    â€”Archbishop Desmond Tutu

— MENTOR —
eli segal
    Businessman. Political strategist. Optimist.

    As the founding CEO of the Corporation for National Service, Eli Segal helped launch AmeriCorps, President Clinton’s national service program. Along the way, through his sense of humor and genuine kindness, he inspired a generation of young people to ask what they could do to leave this country a better place.
    Â 
    Â 
    I t’s not because he helped establish AmeriCorps, enabling over 500,000 young people to do community service across our country.
    Â 
    It’s not because he transformed millions of lives through his leadership on the Welfare-to-Work Partnership.
    Â 
    It’s not because he fought so bravely against the cancer that killed him.
    Â 
    It’s not even because he helped elect a president.
    Â 
    It’s simply because, when I was twenty-one years old and he was running a small business in Boston, Eli Segal took a chance on me—his overenthusiastic intern—and offered me my very first grown-up job.
    Â 
    He knew I was too young. He used to lie about my age to people we would meet with.
    Â 
    But he believed in young people. And he believed in me. H
    Â 
    THE AMERICORPS PLEDGE
    I will get things done for America to make our people safer, smarter, and healthier.
    I will bring Americans together to strengthen our communities.
    Faced with apathy, I will take action.
    Faced with conflict, I will seek common ground.
    Faced with adversity, I will persevere.
    I will carry this commitment with me this year and beyond.
    I am an AmeriCorps member…and I am going to get things done.
    I was just thinking all over again what an astonishing human being he was.
    â€”President Bill Clinton

— TROUBLEMAKER —
abraham lincoln
    Lawyer. Senator. President.

    One of America’s greatest leaders, Abraham Lincoln lost eight elections. Despite those defeats, he became the sixteenth president of the United States and held the country together during the bloodshed of the Civil War.
    Â 
    Â 
    T oday there is a phrase for it: political suicide.
    Â 
    It’s what happens when you say something that most people disagree with.
    Â 
    In 1858, while Abraham Lincoln was trying to get elected to the United States Senate, Stephen Douglas represented “most people.”
    Â 
    Douglas said that blacks had no rights.
    Â 
    He said that the promise of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness did not apply to them.
    Â 
    The Supreme Court of the United States agreed.
    Â 
    But Abraham Lincoln didn’t.
    Â 
    Lincoln stood up.
    Â 
    Lincoln spoke his mind.
    Â 
    And Lincoln lost.
    Â 
    He was sent home with nothing.
    Â 
    It