Heroes and jerks

It is not my intent to dirty my hands by writing a political column, but I also cannot stand by while jerks insult veterans, wounded vets and active military. Especially when those jerks themselves avoided and lacked the courage to serve.

During a recent interview with Donald Trump by Frank Luntz at the 2015 Family Leadership Conference in Ames, Iowa, Trump made an offensive and disrespectful comment about John McCain's military service, when Luntz pointed out that McCain was a war hero who spent six years as a prisoner of the North Vietnamese. A side note to this is when McCain was shot down over North Vietnam and bailed out, he was severely injured and was initially denied any medical treatment. He was also tortured during his captivity.

In one of the most disrespectful comments I have ever heard about anyone's military service, Trump said, "He (McCain) was a war hero because he was captured. I like people who weren't captured."

Apparently Trump does not understand or appreciate the risks members of the military take when fighting our wars. Those who have been burned, lost limbs, or suffered brain trauma did not choose to have that happen. A pilot does not choose to be shot down, and those killed in action would have chosen to live.

Most, if not all veterans, care little for what Trump thinks about their military service. Whatever those veterans have done with the rest of their lives, their military service is a period during which most displayed honor and courage. Disrespecting McCain's service has nothing to do with politics. It is more of a statement about the man who showed that disrespect and what he thinks of veterans.

Supporting Trump's candidacy ignores that there are other candidates from all parties who honor and are respectful of military service, and wealth is not a measure of character. By the time this column is published, hopefully, Trump's run for president will just be a bad memory.

Jack Dragoni attended Boston College and served in the U.S. Army in Berlin and Vietnam. He lives in Chaffee, Missouri.