Who Is A Hero?

McCain showed more strength and fortitude than I’d ever be able to muster. How is he not a hero?

mccain-trump

I’m sure you heard all about the blowup by now. If not, I’ll let CNN fill in the blanks.

The controversy began when Trump, speaking at a question-and-answer session at the Family Leadership Summit in Ames, Iowa, commented on McCain, with whom he’s recently feuded over illegal immigration.

“He is not a war hero,” Trump told pollster Frank Luntz, who was hosting the session.

“He is a war hero,” Luntz interjected.

“He is a war hero because he was captured,” Trump said, cutting him off. “I like people that weren’t captured, OK? I hate to tell you. He is a war hero because he was captured. OK, you can have — I believe perhaps he is a war hero.”

First things first. McCain is obviously a hero. Here’s the actual definition:

A hero or heroine is a person or character who, in the face of danger and adversity or from a position of weakness, displays courage, bravery or self-sacrifice—that is, heroism—for some greater good

McCain attended the Naval Academy, then flew fighters in Vietnam. He was shot down, captured by the North Vietnamese and held in the infamous “Hanoi Hilton.” He refused special treatment even though he had been ceaselessly tortured.

I’m not a fan or Trump, McCain nor our war in Southeast Asia. However, McCain showed more strength and fortitude than I’d ever be able to muster. How is he not a hero?

As his fellow Republicans started pushing back at Trump I wondered, where were they when the Swift Boaters went after John Kerry? Much of what they said was false, specifically the claim “I served with John Kerry.” Most who said that never even met him.

The same question goes for Tammy Duckworth’s campaign which was hatcheted by Rep. Joe Walsh and Max Cleland of Georgia who lost both legs and most of an arm in Vietnam and whose patriotism was questioned by Saxby Chambliss.

Politics is a dirty, ugly business. But I agree with the Republicans who now say military service should never be questioned. Their problem is, I agree retroactively.

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