Hey guys, glad you enjoyed the review. To address a couple of the points made here; I think "heroes" in this context doesn't refer just to any costumed vigilante; it refers to public figures we admire or look up to, which I think is what the celebrity vs. leader debate is all about.
As for the address at the UN; although I agree that some people would still support Savior (and I think DeMatteis reflected that), the main point is that there would be enough of an outcry that it would overwhelm the supporters (who would probably be less vocal) and it would lead to an overall ostracization. Look what happened to the Dixie Chicks; they got dropped from being played on several major radio networks and their careers never fully recovered after that. Bill Maher lost his show on ABC. Guys like Michael Moore and Sean Penn get painted as "left-wing loons" for their opppostion to the war. Ultimately, it's not a question of whether EVERYONE turns against you; if a large number of vocal and angry people do, it's enough to have a significant chilling effect.