Better late than never, eh? At almost 50 yrs. old he was (and voted) against a holiday to honor civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr who did so much to advance peaceful Civil Rights. Perhaps that is why he was booed when he spoke this year to 'honor' him.
A lot of people suffered for this country during the Vietnam War and McCain perhaps more than others . . . not counting, of course the 60,000 people listed as casualties. I don't and won't denigrate his sacrifice . . . but there were many who 'gave' and many who 'gave all' and that simply doesn't mean that you can or do represent this Nation. Some illiterate, down home, midwestern minorities were there too . . . that doesn't give them an automatic shot at the White House either.
""They never gave us any meaningful news. They told us the day that Martin Luther King was shot, they told us the day that Bobby Kennedy was shot, but they never bothered to tell us about the moon shot. So it was certainly selected news." John McCain
Wow. That says volumes. So . . . as a US Senator from Arizona, McCain voted against honoring King with a Federal holiday way back in . . . . ummmm . . . 1983 . . . . when he was . . . oh . . . almost 50! Too bad for him . . . the holiday went into effect regardless and 27 states and the District of Columbia celebrated it that first year. Not Arizona though. The state legislature killed it and the Democratic Governor, Bruce Babbitt signed recognition by way of executive order. Cool, eh? Nope. In January 1987, the first act of Arizona's new governor, Republican Evan Mecham, was to rescind the executive order by Babbitt. Lucky McCain gets his wish for a state free from honoring King! In 1990 Arizona (again) chose NOT to honor King and the National Football League rescinded its original decision to have Super Bowl XXVII played in Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Arizona as a direct result.
Is this an anti-RepubliCON thing? Nope. Most Republicans in the House voted for the holiday (89 RepubliCONs voted for the holiday against 77 other in the GOP). Of course . . . all three Arizona House Republicans were opposed to it. Even Dick "Give the colored guy his day" Cheney voted for the holiday. (Flip-flopping after he voted against it in 1978.)
It wasn't until 2000 that all 50 states honored the MLK Holiday passed 17 years before.
To be fair, in December 1999 McCain told NBC's Tim Russert, "on the Martin Luther King issue, we all learn, OK? We all learn. I will admit to learning, and I hope that the people that I represent appreciate that, too. I voted in 1983 against the recognition of Martin Luther King....I regret that vote." I BET he does. No longer makes political sense outsideof Arizona, does it?
Of course . . . McCain was inexperienced even though he was almost 50 to begin with and has NOW learned his lesson. But do we need people who can't tell right from wrong even at almost 50 years old learning on the job when we need this country fixed? Really?
Choice is simple. Support this country OR vote RepubliCON. No REALLY . . . it's JUST that simple.
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Comments: 44
Regards,
Doyle I <~~~~~
Doyle, you're 100% right-->>Support this country OR vote RepubliCON.<<
::tapping foot:::
I have a number of reasons to side against McCain - most having directly to do with his intentions for this nation. I don't need more to make a decision. Having said that, I respect any politician's willingness to admit he made a mistake (even if it's politically motivated). That's more than I've ever seen out of Bush. People, even the best people, make mistakes. Smart ones learn from them. I would revise my opinion of him if he would just acknowledge the wrongness of the Iraqi war as opposed to JUST the way it was run. That's the lesson that, to me, is most telling for his future.
"Where do we draw the line as do what we are going to honor as a Federal Holiday?"
Ooooh! Ooooh! I know!! (*waving hand*).
With colored people who support Peace AND equality?
"Again if we honor everyone . . . "
This wasn't about everyone. You make a great apologist though. Let me ask you this about McCain's quote: How does one represent this Nation if one refers to the assassination of Bobby kennedy and Rev. King as not meaningful? Is this mainstream? If it WAS about too many holidays . . . why did he change his position and flip flop over to support it? Are there suddenly less holidays? Nope. He NOW says he was wrong. Convenient, isn't it? You, I gather, accept HIS initial stance even though he himself says it was wrong?
". . . he's damn lucky. I wouldn't have let him off so easily.
He was seriously booed.
"Phyllis, name ONE person who did as much, and made an impacts like Dr King. "
White or black person??
"I do not respond to the tapping of the foot."
you didn't respond to the question either. Just sayin'.
Regards,
Doyle I <~~~~~
Dr. King was an amazing orator, and wrote some incredible speeches. Wow. I think, though, that his death was really what made everyone wake up in the civil rights movement. There were a lot of people who weren't too terribly happy or supportive of it, but then he was assassinated, and they couldn't condone that regardles, and it swung them to active support of something that they were really only watching from the sidelines.
I have no idea if I'm correct on that, maybe it just seems that way. I just wonder what our history would have been like if that hadn't happened?
I find it very interesting that people take exception to the smallest thing that McCain did or did not do, while making excuses for Obama's affiliation with a racist named Wright. I find McCain, with all his faults, to be mre honorable than either Obama or Clinton. McCain was REALLY under fire in combat and I don't think he has been a twenty year long member of a racist church.
71 . . . be 72 if and when he could ever be elected.
". . . but I can understand being concerned about too many federal holidays"
So what happened to his 'concern' that he now says he was wrong?
"I respect any politician's willingness to admit he made a mistake (even if it's politically motivated)."
I agree but for the politically motivated (read: not real) aspect.
". . . even the best people, make mistakes. Smart ones learn from them. "
A little too basic for someone almost 50 yrs. old if you ask me.
"He'll say anything to get elected."
Exactly. Note the former opposition to Booshie that turned into a 'love-fest' with him.
"Abe Lincoln.... Actually he did alot more.. "
Ya think? They didn't have Jim Crowe laws, lynching, poll taxes, etc. after him? I GET that he was white and freed slaves . . . from 'occupied' Southern States in rebellion only . . . but you don't feel there was equally significant progress, if not more, from the Civil Rights Act?
"I think it is utterly stupid to get all excited when someone changes their mind."
I have no problem with changing your mind but DO think when you're as old as McCain was and bucking more than 80 GOP Congressmen the reason WHY the change occurs and the reason WHY it was needed are significant if you're running for President.
Thanks Lisa . . . I appreciate your comment.
Regards,
Doyle I <~~~~~
"Is that because he voted the way HE thought was right as opposed to what you thought was the correct way. "
That's part of it Don. But WHY did he think it was right? And WHY does he now say it was wrong? That doesn't trouble you?
"As far as I'm concerned, McCain has done a great deal more for this country than you have. That is, unless you were a POW also. "
You don't know me at all Don! So . . . according to you a POW in Vietnam is all you need to be President? Brilliant. I assume you voted for Silver Star Kerry and against Silver Spoon Bush, right? Can I assume that Cpl. Isiah McMillan (The Last Cpl. to lead a Nation was Hitler - but read about THIS one here!), who was also a POW, is perfectly suited to be President of the United States of America? Do you mean a person taken prisoner after . . . . ummmm . . . a few days has done more for this country than anyone else who was not a POW?? Do you mean people who are anti-violence have done nothing for this country compared to warriors (like Dr. King or Lincoln who never fought)? Says much more about YOU, my friend, than I ever could.
"McCain was REALLY under fire in combat and I don't think he has been a twenty year long member of a racist church. "
Kerry was under fire too . . . and . . . are you SO sure McCain's church was a black friendly chuch? Really? Or is there only ONE kind of racism to you?
Regards,
Doyle I <~~~~~
You weak, pathetic, sickening, anti-American POS! Glad they fought for me. We buried four of my five Uncles (and have those flags to remember them by, but not for the 5th LIVING Uncle Doyle who lost his leg and was 120% disabled during the battle of the bulge) . . . my brother and sister were vets . . . as was my father and my son who has now done two tours of duty in combat (Afghanistan & Iraq) . . . so kiss it you sniveling little coward! These people fought and SOME (well, not yours) died to give me the right to be honest . . . to speak my mind . . . and YOU want to toss that aside and discourage honest discourse because your simple little mind doesn't want to hear it? TOUGH! It takes LOVE of country to call it to a higher standard against miserable, hating, anti-Americans like you. It takes NOTHING but yellow cowardice to approve of torture and discourage freedom of speech. I gather your family wasn't tortured. Uncle Roddy was MIA in Korea and his body was never recovered . . . though he was eventually declared dead. Hopefully he wasn't tortured . . . but as long as WE torture you give the green light for our troops to be tortured. You make ME sick . . . so go fix whoever a turkey pot pie in your sheltered, suburban life . . . comfortable in the freedom you were afforded by MY dead relatives . . . and keep up the great anti-American work trying to make good people feel ashamed of exercising the freedom of speech that others died to give them.
Doyle I <~~~~~
I never said WHO i would vote for! Great job assuming, cupcake . . . shame on YOU for not supporting the troops and approving their being tortured like you good buddy McCain!
How is it someone as stupid as you seem to be can live without life support? Who wanted to cut their pay? Who was responsible for the Walter Reed idiocy? Who complained?
I don't pride myself on ignorance like you do cupcake. $20,000 offered by the United States Navy (declined). What High School did YOU drop out from?
McCain supports torture. He shouldn't be IN government.
Regards,
Doyle I <~~~~~
It is a shame that this man didn't learn anything. He is a somewhat slow learner if he didn't understand why MLK day was made a holiday. At 71, I expect more of someone than at let's say 25. By 50, a person should have a basic understanding of civic matters and recognize that racial progress is full of worthy aspiration.
Regards,
Doyle I <~~~~~
Lincoln's holiday was still young and fresh in 1983 only being formally declared a national holiday in 1968 and did not take effect until 1971. Prior to this the only person who had a holiday was the General himself, the first president of the United States.
There were a lot of people who did not like the consolidation of the two presidential holidays; never mind that technically speaking our national holiday schedule was made lopsided by having them so close in such a small month as February. There were strong opponents from both the people who wanted to preserve Washington's Holiday and those who wanted to preserve Lincoln's Holiday. In the end they were proven right, the importance of President's Day is pathetic and we as a nation barely give lip service to the man who set the tone for the Federal Government and whose traditions lasted until the second world war when they were later enacted into the constitution.
Get over it. I also was strongly opposed to the Holiday. I knew what would happen and I was not pleased to see it happen. Up until then McDonalds would always offer Cherry Pie in addition to Apple Pie in honor of Washington's Birthday. Well as a child I never liked apple pie but I loved cherry pie. My dream of a week of McDonald cherry pie is gone now thanks to the people who pushed for the Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday; currently the only holiday dedicated to a single person in the United States.
http://www.snopes.com/holidays/presidents/presidents.asp
Guess you'll have to make your own damn cherry pie.
Well I already graduated from Cal. State and there wasn't THAT big an issue here . . . your 'cherry pie' and 'cherry picking' of fabricated historical data notwithstanding. Support isn't the issue here. One issue is: does he represent this country on a basic level?
McCain went AGAINST the majority of his own party AND the Democrats to oppose it. His quote above makes it clear that he thought that the assassination of Dr. King and Bobby Kennedy were inconsequential. I applaud the fact that he's outside of Arizona and now into politics that requires other's votes . . . but could it be because he needs these other votes that he now says he was wrong back then?
"Lincoln's holiday was still young and fresh in 1983 only being formally declared a national holiday in 1968 and did not take effect until 1971. "
Do you just make this stuff up??? Please . . . PLEASE give me a source for this becoming a National Holiday in 1968 . . . or 1971 . . . or 1983. What the Hell?
"Get over it. I also was strongly opposed to the Holiday."
You're not running for election so I gather you're still opposed to it . . . or are you, like McCain, admitting you were wrong then and support it now?
Sounds like maybe YOU need to "get over it". Sorry if asking the questions you don't like to hear bothers you . . . Why don't you give ME a break and research what you say before you say it . . .
Regards,
Doyle I <~~~~~
Maybe the Republicans can pass a Reagan holiday, just to drive me completely insane.
I put nothing past a far right, or far left administration. Not going to be a happy camper, in any case. I only have one vote, which goes for Hillary, or it goes for McCain.
Well your vote is your vote. I cannot understand, however, how someone can support a person who has no intention of ending this phyrric overseas military misadventure and even (now) flipflopped to supporting torture.
"Maybe the Republicans can pass a Reagan holiday, just to drive me completely insane."
Now THAT would do it for me too. I already throw up in my mouth when I have to drive on the Ronald Reagan Freeway. You DO realize that there is a Ronald Reagan Legacy project that has vowed to see that name on at least one public landmark in every county in the Nation, don't you? After 30 Historians published an academic review of US Presidents in New York Times Magazine and consistently rated Reagan as Average . . . the thunk thunk thunk of jaws hitting the floor from these sycophants who would line up to drink his bathwater was coverted into energy and viola . . . the charge is on to make him great . . . by rote and repetition . . . . typical GOP shenanigans.
Regards,
Doyle I <~~~~~
I might point out that he also opposes a new GI bill for education and other support for returning veterans that is currently making its way through congress, as does Mr. Bush. Again, it's easy to claim you support our troops. It's a lot more difficult and expensive to actually do it.
Anyway, that testy reply to Russert makes me wonder exactly what it was McCain learned?
Here in Phoenix, the major newspaper prints a daily story on McCain; maybe they'll address that. Probably not.
Good point Carolyn . . . I think the contention that "McCain has always been a great advocate in the Senate for rights of veterans. " is flawed.
"Anyway, that testy reply to Russert makes me wonder exactly what it was McCain learned?"
And THIS is the point . . . and I think a valid one!
Regards,
Doyle I <~~~~~
I'm going to need a source for "Bush blowing" . . . I knew the rest already though. :P
Regards,
Doyle I <~~~~~
LoL! Ok, McCain should hook up with Grace and tour Italy for a couple of years! I'd vote for Sam first . . . Hell, I'd vote for Grace first. :P
Regards,
Doyle I <~~~~~
""Freedom loving Americans". Laughable at best. "
Yeah . . . free to wave a flag at Veteran's Day Parades . . . just don't try to support the troops by speaking truth to the dizzying array of lies floating around.
Regards,
Doyle I <~~~~~