(for my friends at TheZoo and other naive "progressives".)
It is not an insult to the service men and women of this country to talk about the nature of the service record of a potential president.
But that is what those who want John McCain elected would have you think. Why?
Much like when people call Israelis who stand up for the Palestinians, “self hating Jews” or tag anyone who questions the actions of the Likud Party as “anti-Semites”, McCain supporters in the media and even on blog sites will immediately render the “troop hater” label on those that address McCain’s rather questionable service record and the actualities of his POW story.
But that doesn’t mean we have to give in to it by (falsely I believe) attributing “hero” status to this man. When you portray him as a hero or a “remarkable man” or an “American Patriot”, you play right into what McCain’s supporters want: a revised and scrubbed-up history of the real John McCain. You turn the weakest part of his history into his strength.
You, progressive bloggers, become the spin tool of the war-party. And you do it willingly.
Much like the situation with impeachment, they actually have manipulated the context of the argument so much, that they have liberals and “progressives” arguing to the death to keep Bush and Cheney from being removed from office before they attack Iran.
It is amazing how many sites buy into this propaganda simply because it comes from other “progressives”. These sites and these people have not yet learned that not all ”progressive” and democratic bloggers have the same agenda you do.
As Douglas Valentine shows in his article, "John McCain: War Hero or North Vietnam’s Go-To Collaborator?", at the very root of what we know about McCain’s temper and his lust for power, is the truth about his service and his time as a POW.
The article compares two very different POW stories. One, by the author's father in WWII and the other from John McCain's own testimony.
McCain is the son and grandson of military royalty who was terrified that his confession would be known to his family. But that didn’t stop him from making that confession and the others that followed. This is a very clear insight to a man who only respects power and who will give into whatever that power tells him to. We see this now in his behavior running for office.
Nothing could be more important to understand about this man who may very well be the next president (if the elections truely are rigged as many believe.
And that is exactly why they have made the subject of his military career taboo to even talk about. Much like Bush's or Cheney's many many deferments during Vietnam. You must simply accept that McCain is a "war hero" and move on.
I wish you could see how our arguments are being shaped by his supporters and giving in to this cohersion is a dangerous mistake, if you think as I do that a McCain presidency is the last thing we need right now.
