more on stature?

Begin forwarded message:

From: "David P. Reed" <[email protected]>
Date: September 26, 2006 1:28:21 PM EDT
To: [email protected], David Farber <[email protected]>
Subject: stature?

Lauren -

Forgive me for laughing.   You want somebody of "stature" to stand up  
to the bullies and a**holes who can't see how torture degrades them  
in the eyes of the world?

The problem is that "stature" today means a well-known person who has  
made a career ov being an opportunistic suck-up to the rich and  
powerful.  Someone who lacks personal courage and builds his  
reputation by paying image consultants like people used to pay  
hairdressers.

Being saved by a coward seems unlikely.