Writer unfairly besmirched McCain
A letter writer said in “No objectivity on Franklin, McCain,” (Aug. 29) that, “He suffered as a POW, refusing to be released. A true warrior would accept release and return to battle.” The writer further said the American hero had flaws.
Imagine that: He wasn’t Jesus Christ.
Let’s see ... McCain sustained a broken leg and two broken arms when shot out of his fighter plane. Then, as a captive of the North Vietnamese, was hung by his arms tied behind his back, causing permanent damage that prevented him from raising his arms higher than his chest. Yeah, he’d be great in battle, unable to tote a gun. Instead, as the torture continued, he refused early release from the so-called Hanoi Hilton because his fellow American prisoners needed him. Also, as the son and grandson of decorated Navy admirals, he didn’t want to give propaganda fodder to North Vietnam for accepting the offer to move to the front of the line in releases.
In 1954, near the end of the hearings on Sen. Joseph McCarthy’s witch hunt for Communist sympathizers, Joseph N. Welch, then-chief counsel for the U.S. Army, said to McCarthy, “Let us not assassinate this lad (Welch’s assistant) further, senator. You have done enough. Have you no sense of decency?”
To the letter writer besmirching McCain, the answer is simple: No. BOB BRINK, BOYNTON BEACH