This article originally appeared on AlterNet. John Lewis is a hero and a patriot plain and simple, Paul Krugman writes in Monday’s column. He was when he literally put his life on the line to pursue justice for African Americans, getting his skull cracked by state troopers on what came to be known as Bloody Sunday, and helping pave the way for the Voting Rights Act. And he is a hero and a patriot for boycotting Trump’s inauguration and calling him an illegitimate president.