Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Not Fit to Shine McCain's Boots
Philadelphia Inquirer ^ | May 26, 2006 | Christine M. Flowers

Posted on 05/26/2006 3:23:30 PM PDT by RWR8189

JOHN McCAIN IS, without a doubt, heroic.

Disagree with his politics, mistrust his shifting political alliances, but no one who's benefited from the tortured sacrifices he made at the Hanoi Hilton should question his integrity. How can we, whole in body and strangers to the hell he experienced, challenge this patriot? To do so indicates a fundamental inhumanity.

That aptly describes the young woman who stood up last week and ridiculed the senator from Arizona. Jean Sara Rohe, a graduating senior at the New School in New York, introduced McCain before he delivered his commencement address.

Ms. Rohe took the opportunity to attack McCain because he supports the war in Iraq, making him a proxy for the president she and her ilk so obviously detest. Her words, dripping with the elite disdain perfected by liberals, is an example of how the pampered progeny of the boomers are always demanding rights without acknowledging prior debts.

The righteous Ms. Rohe was only able to give voice to her beliefs because of McCain and others like him who sacrificed their youth (and, in some cases, their lives) to secure the freedom of strangers. You wonder what sacrifices this young woman has ever made for her country, or if she even thinks it merits the effort.

The disrespect didn't stop there. At one point, the school's president, Bob Kerrey, admonished the crowd to let McCain speak, dryly noting that it takes courage to stand at a lectern but none to scream from the crowd.

The response? Kerrey, who left part of his own leg on a battlefield in Vietnam and who received the Medal of Honor, was called a "war criminal." Given the caliber of the accuser, this is actually high praise.

To hear these things makes my blood boil. What type of people are we, so mired in our partisan anger, that we dare attack the few and singular examples of valor in our midst?

McCain, Kerrey and their comrades deserve respect and gratitude. If we disagree with their politics, the remedy is at the ballot box. But to label as "criminals" men who withstood physical assaults that make Abu Ghraib look tame? Citizenship is wasted on such as these.

Like Vietnam, Iraq is a lightning rod for controversy. Many Americans genuinely feel that we should never have invaded a country that (they say) posed no strategic threat. Many others believe that the threat existed, and provide salient arguments to counter the tired claim of "the president lied." Still others believe that even though the invasion was flawed in its execution, it was a necessary exercise of executive authority. Our country is divided, and the rhetorical battles are as fierce as the real ones.

But regardless of our personal convictions, there is no place in public discourse for the rantings of spoiled children who have never risked life or limb for the greater good. The First Amendment protects their right to protest, even though it is defiled by the content of their thoughts. Unfortunately, it doesn't endow them with courage or character.

Of course, some would disagree. Arianna Huffington has called Ms. Rohe fearless, or words to that effect. Others have praised Jodie Foster, who graced our local Penn graduates with a nice rap song and some ruminations on how we squandered the good will of the world's people.

Still others think that Mumia Abu-Jamal has something of value to impart from his seat on death row. Cop-killers, actresses and clueless little girls. Our graduates are truly blessed.

What most upsets me is that hardly anyone in the liberal community has criticized the attack on McCain. Remember the outrage at "swift-boating" and the indignant defense of Jack Murtha?

Those who were rightly upset at the mud thrown in John Kerry's direction are conveniently silent when it comes from their own side. Those who said we should listen to Murtha's call for an immediate withdrawal of troops because of his war record turn their backs on McCain and stigmatize Kerrey. Their hypocrisy is limitless.

My wish for Ms. Rohe is that, away from the admiring cameras and accompanied only by her conscience, she make as great a mark on society as John McCain and his brothers-in-arms. But I doubt it. The only Hilton she'll ever occupy belongs to Paris' daddy.


Christine M. Flowers is a lawyer. E-mail cflowers1961@yahoo.com.


TOPICS: Editorial; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; US: New York
KEYWORDS: commencement; hanoihilton; johnmccain; mccain; newschool; rudedems; vietnamveterans
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 121-133 next last
To: RWR8189
--- Citizenship is wasted on such as these. ---

That sums it up for me!

21 posted on 05/26/2006 3:33:27 PM PDT by avacado
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Bommer
Maybe I'm the only retard in the world that does not think that getting shot down because you suck as a pilot and surviving torture ranks as heroic in the same vein as what an Audey Murphy, George Patton or George Washington did in their heroics

Do you include every POW from Vietnam in that description?

22 posted on 05/26/2006 3:34:03 PM PDT by Non-Sequitur
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: RWR8189

But does he support the whole War on Terror, including what we have to do about Iran?


23 posted on 05/26/2006 3:34:42 PM PDT by familyop (Essayons)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: RWR8189
John McCaniacs time in the Hanoi Hilton warped his sense of responsibilities.

I respect the sacrifice McCain made but that was as a young man and should not give him a free ride from criticism for his future shenanigans in the Senate.

Unlike McCain, Kerry went to Vietnam to film a biography about, John Kerry, star.
24 posted on 05/26/2006 3:35:39 PM PDT by OKIEDOC (There's nothing like hearing someone say thank you for your help.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Not now, Not ever!
Right over my head.

Do you agree with Rohe's sentiment and with Huffington's description of her actions as heroic?

25 posted on 05/26/2006 3:36:21 PM PDT by Non-Sequitur
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

To: RWR8189

It's very tough to take anything from the Stinky seriously. That paper is probably the most shamelessly leftist toilet tissue in the nation. I suspect that the paper will be printing more "guest op eds" like this one in an effort to try to fool the new owners into thinking the paper has gone from raving goofy to just plain puking liberal.


26 posted on 05/26/2006 3:36:43 PM PDT by Lancey Howard
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: americanstrategist
John McCain was a war hero.

I forget - - who did he rescue? How many fellow warriors did he save? What other heroic deeds did he accomplish? Thanks.

27 posted on 05/26/2006 3:38:47 PM PDT by Lancey Howard
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: RWR8189
How can we, whole in body and strangers to the hell he experienced, challenge this patriot? To do so indicates a fundamental inhumanity.

Nonsense. McCain deserves to be honored for his service and sacrifice. He does not deserve to go unchallenged for his views or his politics.
28 posted on 05/26/2006 3:40:08 PM PDT by AnotherUnixGeek
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: RWR8189
Why do people think that being a veteran automatically makes a person honest and trustworthy? Being a veteran myself, I really don't quite get the connection. There are veterans who are trustworthy and there are others who are not. For some people being a war veteran can actually have both a positive and a negative influence on their lives.

Take McCain, for example. In my opinion he is a RINO at best, and a bleeding heart liberal at worst. He jumped on the Abu Grahaib prison debacle like a true politician, throwing his own POW status into the ring to justify his writing of legislation that was acutally INSULTING to American servicemen, because it insinutates they were torturing prisoners. I respect McCain for his service, but that service is no guarantee that he will always be honest, nor is it a guarantee that he won't put his personal agenda before that of the voters who elect him.

29 posted on 05/26/2006 3:41:03 PM PDT by TheCrusader
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: americanstrategist
John McCain was a war hero. These Democrats need to realize that if it were not for people like him, they couldn't stand up and make their ridiculous protests.

Yeah, he won the war by himself. Oh, that's right, we lost.

30 posted on 05/26/2006 3:42:51 PM PDT by Logical me (Oh, well!!!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: Non-Sequitur

Nope, John Mc Cain was a good and honorable man, Noy the use of the word "WAS".
He can now be relied on only to disappoint.
huffington is a nut job, un-reliable.


31 posted on 05/26/2006 3:43:43 PM PDT by Not now, Not ever! (This tag-line is temporarily closed for remodeling)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 25 | View Replies]

To: RWR8189
Are we supposed to care what the liberals in the assylum are screaming at each other?

Medicate them and move on. But don't elect them. Especially McLame.
32 posted on 05/26/2006 3:44:27 PM PDT by George W. Bush
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Sgt_Schultze
McCain is the last of the "Keating 5" senators.

Funny how McLame, one of Keating's bag-men in the Senate, never has any reminder of this scam thrown in his face by the libmedia.
33 posted on 05/26/2006 3:46:13 PM PDT by George W. Bush
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | View Replies]

To: xzins
Pro-mccainiac piece designed to show him as a rightist patriot.

Wow. The chaplain thinks it's OK for McCain to be dissed in public.

Had I been Bob Kerrey, when Ms. Rohe came up for her diploma, I would have ripped it to shreds in front of her face, and let all the little pieces float down to her feet.

34 posted on 05/26/2006 3:47:24 PM PDT by sinkspur ( Don Cheech. Vito Corleone would like to meet you......Vito Corleone.....)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: RWR8189

Where's the Barf Alert?

I guess this is the start of the FR John McCain Bandwagon when we forget all of that nasty stuff we've written about him and get on board for 08. Count me out. Four more years of this kind of conservatism and what little remnant of a republic we have left will be gone.

Heck, in light of today, by 2008 it might be Arnold and Vicente on the ticket.

And McCain is a war mongerer. Of that, there is no doubt. Heck, this guy would probably have included Russia and China in the Axis of Evil...


35 posted on 05/26/2006 3:47:35 PM PDT by streetpreacher (What if you're wrong?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: streetpreacher

Yeah...I'm really part of the "FR McCain bandwagon"


36 posted on 05/26/2006 3:49:27 PM PDT by RWR8189 (George Allen for President)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 35 | View Replies]

To: George W. Bush

They are biding their time. If McCain is finally the Republican nominee for president in 2008, the reminders will hit the fan along about October - count on it.


37 posted on 05/26/2006 3:52:03 PM PDT by Sgt_Schultze
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 33 | View Replies]

To: Non-Sequitur
Do you include every POW from Vietnam in that description?

I might be inclined to answer an impertinent question such as this one if someone can explain why Cunningham has been left out of this discussion... pro or con...

Even mass murderers have served in the armed forces.
The need to muddy the waters in a political discussion has always evaded me. Other than to deflect and obfuscate, what purpose does it serve?

38 posted on 05/26/2006 3:56:46 PM PDT by Publius6961 (Multiculturalism is the white flag of a dying country)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 22 | View Replies]

To: Non-Sequitur

As a Hero? No! You consider every battered wife that survives a beating a hero? Sorry I hold the word in a higher esteem.


39 posted on 05/26/2006 3:57:12 PM PDT by Bommer (Attention illegals: Why don't you do the jobs we can't do? Like fix your own countries problems!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 22 | View Replies]

To: RWR8189

Hero? Are you kidding. He got his ass shot down. Plus distoyed 4 other navy planes. He did nothing heroic. He was, and is mediocre at best.


40 posted on 05/26/2006 3:59:28 PM PDT by jslade (Liberalism ALWAYS accomplishes the exact opposite of it's stated intent!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 121-133 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson