INSIDE THE OUTSIDER
Faith of My Fathers. Character is Destiny. Worth the Fighting For. Sub-titles for father-son chats? They could be. They are the titles of three books by John McCain which offer depth and insight into the life and mind of an American icon. At no time in recent history has our nation been at such a critical juncture, nor have we been so divided. As I observe the field of Presidential candidates, with varying but almost universally inadequate degrees of experience, I wonder what it is that so many are missing.
Many of us were unsatisfied, even angry over the proposed immigration reform which McCain co-sponsored. I too felt it was lacking in many ways but ultimately saw it as a pragmatic solution, or at least a beginning to a solution for the unenviable position we find ourselves in with regards to illegal immigration. However, it is not nearly enough for me to dismiss the merits of this larger-than-life man. I have heard many lament the McCain-Feingold bill, meant to reign in the corruption in the political process and the unbridled favor-buying that has become part and parcel of the process. Any bill that so unsettles the many politicians who want to recklessly squander the money that you and I earn the old-fashioned way, by the hour, seems like a good bill to me. And yet, this very fact seems to send people unraveling, when it should be a good sign. Anything that makes the work of criminals more difficult, should be a positive.
It is infuriating to me that after legislation is hammered out, after it has garnered and sustained public support, and before it has even been put to the test in the real world, the same gang of nail-biters come out to question it. It costs too much. It's unconstituional. No, gentleman. I'll tell you what's costing us too much. Sitting idle while the lowest form of human beings make money with child pornography on the internet. Retail rape of children, for sale on video, breeding more and more of these child predators from an ever expanding festering pool of the worst imaginable kind of violence. I only wish Mr. Iacopino were as concerned about the constituional rights of the children depicted in those pictures, and the countless children whose lives are forever ruined, or ended, by this industry. And it is an industry that this country should be ashamed of. It is an ongoing wonder to me, and many others, how the proliferation of this vile subculture is allowed to prosper, unabated. Why? As you can see, many of us are still much, much more concerned with the rights of the criminals themselves.
Not so in the world of modern American politics. Instead, we are fascinated with the mundane. Hair cuts and homes that are too big. Infidelities, past transgressions and the litany of juvenile excuses that are offered up to quell the masses. I prefer a shot-from-the-hip response, as McCain is always quick to offer. “I have made mistakes.” Thank you., and welcome to the club.
As we are on the cusp of that time when the campaign begins to actually matter, I urge people to learn more about this man. You may not vote for him, and that’s fine, but any interested American will be fascinated at the life journey of this remarkable, 21st Century maverick. Long before any thoughts of a life in the political arena crossed his mind, John McCain demonstrated his sense of principle and character on countless occasions. During the historical fire on the USS Forrestal, he leapt from his burning jet, ran out of the flames, and then back into the flames to rescue a fellow airman. After this disaster, in which over 130 men died, military protocol allowed him to refrain from flying any further missions. He wouldn’t have it, and transferred to a different carrier where he went on to fly another 29 bombing missions, ending with the ejection and crash that began his five plus years as a POW at the Hanoi Hilton.
Offered early release from this living hell when his captors realized they had the son and grandson of Navy Admirals, he declined to leave without his men. That decision cost him another three years in captivity, and more torture and abuse. The book is a stunning and sobering account of an existence most of us could not endure. Many did not, and nobody there expected to ever leave alive.
Returning home and entering politics, McCain has spent his career tirelessly watching over our money and pork barrel spending. Always putting pride and principle before personal gain, even lambasting close friends on occasion when he felt that they were straying from what was expected of them by the folks who elected them. He is the type of guy that someone like Fred Thompson would play on a TV series, but why do we need an actor to play the part when we have the real deal?
John is not a perfect man and he would be the first to tell you so. He is, however, intensely bright, sensitive, dedicated to his family and country, well-humored and hands-down the most knowledgeable on world affairs. He is not a war-monger, having seen first hand the ravages of war. I firmly believe that had he been elected in 2000 that we would be in a much different place today, and probably not at war in Iraq. He understands, nonetheless, the consequences of leaving a country we invaded, to implode and probably descent into a complete genocide.
So, even if he makes you mad, I urge you to consider the true measurements of the candidates we have before us and who amongst them has the true leadership qualities that America so sorely needs right now. Sometimes, you need to look inside the outsider to really understand.
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