Me? Feeling bad for McCain?
I have always considered myself a “liberal.” I am a registered Democratic voter, and I fully support the Obama-Biden ticket. However, after getting into a recent tiff with my aunt, a McCalin-Palin lover, I surprisingly started to feel bad not only about disliking McCain, but about the extent to which I was disgusted by him.
I knew that McCain was a POW for 5 years during the Vietnam War, but I was unaware of the brutality of it all, of how emotionally and physically traumatizing his experience was. After imitating his walk and mocking his handshakes and waves, my aunt replied, “you do understand why he’s like that, right?” She proceeded to explain to me how McCain was tortured for several years, what exactly was done to him, and made me look up photos of him in his youth and military service. What I found brought me to tears.
Me?! Feeling bad for McCain? Crying about how he’s suffered? I was surprised at my reaction to my research on him, maybe even angry at myself for crying and going, “Oh my G-d, that poor man. What a hero.” Ahh!! What was I saying?!? I looked over at my aunt and she was smiling, I’m sure partly because she thought she had swung me, but also because she was glad I felt compassion for him. “Just as you want people to understand and respect Obama, you must try and feel for everyone, including McCain.” Part of me wanted to say I don’t have to do anything for anyone, but that would have been just proving her point further. That lack of compassion and understanding for anyone will cloud your thoughts and cause you to seem uneducated, or even hypocritical.
I love the idea of Obama being President, and he has my full support and vote. However, knowing a little bit more background on John McCain made me understand why other people support him. It’s not that every McCain supporter wants to make abortion illegal, or wants to ensure the rich stay rich. War veterans who have been scarred by their experiences and older generations who have a hard time accepting rapidly changing American culture and values might support McCain because it’s all they know, it’s what they feel most comfortable with.
I don’t agree with McCain’s policies and I do not support him in this election. But I do have respect for the man, and I won’t hold anything against him.
October 13th, 2008 at 7:44 pm
Well put Alana. Go McCain! lol
October 14th, 2008 at 6:48 pm
These days, it seems like our society is so polarized over politics, to the point where no one can respect people with different views. It is really refreshing to hear a voice like yours. Thanks for sharing!
October 15th, 2008 at 6:06 am
Nice post! But you’re showing your age a little.
Back in the dark ages of the 2000 primaries McCain was the good guy Republican, one of those candidates everyone said they liked Even Though He Could Never Win. He ran around the country in a bus on a shoe-string budget calling out the party establishment. I think he was even did well for a while before the power brokers behind Bush II crushed his campaign.
I wonder when you developed your ‘disgust’ for McCain. Before the VP nomination the only problem I had was that he lives in the past.
John McCain doesn’t want to hear a US Senator called a terrorist. Unfortunately, that’s going to be his legacy, and it might overshadow a lifetime of decisions based on morals before expedience. I don’t know if we should hold it against him, but it’s pretty heartbreaking.
We should all feel bad for John McCain.
October 15th, 2008 at 9:30 pm
Alana, revealing post. Devil’s advocate: In what way does being a POW qualify a man–odds are, we’re talking about a man–for president?
I agree with you, that McCain is comforting for many Americans who believe it’s changing too quickly. Thing is, it has changed… they just haven’t been noticing it.
October 16th, 2008 at 7:30 am
Thank you everyone for feedback! It really means a lot to me.
Carla, an answer to the devil’s advocate question: being a POW does not necessarily mean one is fit to be President, and I wasn’t saying that. All I was saying is that I admire his courage during the war (and I am very anti-war), and his accomplishments are not something to be overlooked. It wouldn’t be fair to do so. There are many people who love McCain for how he fought in the war, as their loved ones are doing the same thing now in Iraq- that brings a lot of comfort and respect for many.
Sarah, my “disgust” for McCain was born when he started running for President, and the thought of another Bush-like administration upset me greatly, as it does for most people.
Again, thanks everyone! ~alana