"Moral Hotness" - Part One

Here are the first three entries for "Guys Who Have 'Moral Hotness'". For info on what that is, see the previous post.

Name: Mr. Rogers

Why He's Awesome: I think this article in Mental Floss sums it up pretty well. From everything I've read, he was much the same person on-screen and off-screen. He genuinely cared about people, especially children, and went out of his way to make sure everyone knew that they were special.

Name: Fr. Hesburgh

Why He's Awesome: Fr. Hesburgh has an incredibly high degree of integrity. Perhaps my favorite story is how a bunch of people were invited to a rally initiated by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. A lot of them were afraid to go, but Fr. Hesburgh jumped right in his car and went to the demonstration. He's said that he didn't think twice about it - even though times were turbulent and it might have been a dangerous thing to do, it was the right thing to do. There's an awesome picture of him, arms linked with Dr. King, both of them singing at the demonstration.

Name: Nick Kristof

Why He's Awesome: In a world where the "news" often degenerates into celebrity gossip, one can always count on Nick Kristof to shine a spotlight on issues of importance. His editorials discuss human rights issues with anecdotes, statistics, and impassioned persuasion. This is a man who has been to the far reaches of the globe and wants his audience to understand how other people live. What I like best about his articles is that he also includes ways for his readers to help in a given situation. He'll provide information on organizations working to help those living in dire poverty, or suffering malnutrition, or whatever the issue of the day is. Through his writing, it's easy to see that he sincerely cares about people and wants to make the world a little bit better.

I've often said, "As long as there are people who care, I'll try not to worry too much." These men (and others like them) are the reason I sleep well at night. I know that there are men of integrity, compassion, and strong moral fiber who live the highest virtues. These men are an inspiration. And I'll take a Morally Hot guy over a Hollywood Hunk of the Week any day.