Ira Hayes

I detested the movie depiction of Marine Private Ira Hayes, played by Adam Beach. Ira Hayes is portrayed as a crybaby who is torn inwardly with a personal ethical dilemna that he feels pressure to lie and be deceitful in 'pretending' to be a big hero. Ira Hayes just didn't get it. The American government was asking for his 'help' in winning the war by helping to raise additional badly needed government revenues. The U.S. government was fast running out of cash. The next step would be either to print more paper money or start liquidating the nation's gold reserves, neither a viable alternative. One of Ira's colleagues doesn't like it either, but understand's the country's need for heroes and so cooperates. The other colleague loves his hero role and enjoys every moment. Ira Hayes in the movie cannot come to terms with his huge dislike of what he feels is playing a false hero. So he succumbs to alcoholism and bad behavior. This also played badly into the stereotype of Native Americans and alcohol addiction. Ira Hayes years later is found lying face down off the side of a road on the Indian reservation, lifeless. Of course Ira Hayes didn't deserve this fate. He could have done far, far better, but it was all up to him. He chose.