Gorbachev is a hero of mine, too, Steve. He worked within the system, played a game, maintained status quo, until he was in the only position where he could do something, and he had the courage to do it.

"Nobody realizes that some people expend tremendous energy merely to be normal." - Albert Camus

there was a boy in my class that was different, everyone used to laugh at him, his clothes smelt. I met him at our old school reuinion - he was lovely. really smart, a really decent person, and working as a social worker. some people, like him, grow up in really hard circumstances, and instead of spending the rest of their lifes whinging about it, move forward and take others with them.