Disclaimer- Not now, not ever.
Don't Call Me Hero
I'm whoever you want me to be.
Call me Cowboy, Francis Sullivan, Jack Kelly…
They're all me.
Call me a Newsie, a street rat, a bum, a lowlife, a convict…
I won't deny it.
Call me a traitor, a scab…
I deserve it.
But don't call me a hero. That's one thing I sure ain't. I said one time that I can't be something I'm not. I said smart, I meant a hero.
They're wrong.
All of them.
If I hadn't started the strike, someone else would have. I got there first, nothing special. It was "my" strike, yet what did I do for it?
Betrayed them.
It was Davey's strike. It was him behind those words, he touched everyone. All I did was say them, take credit that should have been his.
It was Spot's strike. He was the link. He got the other boroughs to join with us. All I was, was the messenger.
It was Crutchy's strike. He spent more time in The Refuge than any newsie should for it. Where was I? Free.
It was Les's strike. Mush's. Kid Blink's. Racetrack's. Boot's. Everyone's. They never lost hope.
They were the heroes. They were the ones who stuck the whole thing out.
They call me Hero, I call them stupid.
I'm Jack Kelly. Cowboy. Francis Sullivan.
I'm a coward, a back-stabber, a bastard.
Don't call me Hero.
Call me a fool.
~~~
L/N- I don't feel this way at all, I think that Jack was a hero. The idea came to me when I read a review (I don't remember what story or who it was from, but even if I did I wouldn't say it) that said that most stories portray Jack as a hero and a saint when he really isn't and that Jack was overrated. I think that Jack did an amazing job as a leader in the movie, it was human nature for him to accept that bribe and I think that some people are too harsh on him for that, especially since he came back. But I'm sure that Jack still beat himself up over it, so this is what I came up with. Please review!