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Rebranding Heretics as Heroes

It is very easy to yoke the cause of the rebel to the designs of the state. All one has to do is make them a martyr, and then, after some number of years have passed, give them a day all their own. And in this process, the state that was responsible for having killed the man, becomes as noble as the man himself, for having made his birthday a national holiday.

The process of recasting a person's image works as much for bloodthirsty murderers for the state as it does for recasting non-violent heroes once seen as the greatest enemies of the state.  And in this way, the sinner and the saint become as noble as the state that has the wisdom and benevolence to recognize the sanctity of both, despite whatever personal shortcomings of each, which is why we celebrate both Columbus Day and Martin Luther King Day.

This is no less true of Christ himself, of course, since all Constantine had to do to resurrect the image of so insignificant a heretic as Jesus was to turn his birthday into a holiday. And in so doing, turn a would be upstart into a God.

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