Readers React: Donald Trump, draft dodger, goes after John McCain, war hero

To the editor: American males who came of age during the Vietnam War and who have Donald Trump’s history of draft evasion should want to avoid being compared to Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.). Contrary to what Trump said, it wasn’t McCain’s capture that made him a hero; it was his heroic behavior during his captivity. (“Donald Trump says John McCain ‘not a war hero’; Republican rivals denounce him,” July 18)

Growing up in the 1960s, in the shadow of the draft and the unpopular and unnecessary involvement in a Southeast Asian civil war, was very difficult. Some young men bravely participated in the war; others boldly and bravely refused to participate; while others, like Trump, developed medical conditions after exhausting their student deferments.

Medical deferments were not easy to come by. It took more than flat feet or colorblindness — which makes me think that a medical deferment from military service should also excuse one from serving as commander in chief.

Michael Green, Temple City

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To the editor: Ernest Hemingway famously defined courage as “grace under pressure.”

By that definition, McCain (no political ally of mine), who spent more than five years as a prisoner of war in subhuman conditions and refused early release (as it would have been unfair to his fellow imprisoned soldiers), certainly qualifies as a hero.

Trump? Not so much.

Tom Brayton, Long Beach

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To the editor: I seldom agree with Trump, but he is right-on when he questions the war bona fides of McCain.

War hero? I don’t think so. Before his capture, he bombed and killed innocent people from his perch miles in the sky.

The true war heroes were those who refused to fight in the immoral, illegal Vietnam War, which weakened America rather than protected it.

Bob Lentz, Sylmar

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To the editor: So Republicans are outraged that someone would disparage a war hero for political purposes. Their complaints might ring less hollow if they had shown the same respect for another war veteran in 2004 — John F. Kerry.

As ye sow, so shall ye reap.

Lee Aydelotte, Huntington Beach

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To the editor: Given his questioning of McCain’s war-hero status on the grounds that he has received praise only because he was captured, I’d be interested in finding out Trump’s reaction to the story of Nathan Hale.

Not only was Hale captured, he was hanged by the British during the Revolutionary War. And he is a war hero.

Paul J. Burke, Palmdale

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