Last night I was thinking that it was a shame we lost Senator John McCain as we could really use his insight as we go through this impeachment mess. Then this morning, Anita Sacco* emailed me that she had seen Senator McCain coming over the Rainbow Bridge and that he had something he wanted to say on the blog. I don't think I will ever get used to this.
"Hold the truth up as a standard, hold what we treasure as Americans, our unique heritage and the inalienable rights that
we must guarantee to our children...."
Ann: Senator McCain, Anita said you wanted to talk to me.
Senator McCain: That I did, Ann. Not just to you but to the ones who might read these words on the blog because those are the ones who already have an inkling of what is going on. Being so recently transitioned, it was hard for me to adjust enough to figure out how to transmit to you as it’s more complicated than you might think. I think I’ve finally got the right combination for your channel but may fade in an out.
Ann: No, I can hear you just fine.
SJM: Splendid. Well. Let me tell you that it was very inconvenient for me to leave when I did, when it seemed like my most important life’s work was just ahead of me, when I felt like my voice, whether it was convincing or not, could at least be heard to provide a counterpoint to the political nonsense that is being spouted now by so many people.
Most concerning to me is the presumption in most news reports now that there is a conclusion that everybody has to get on board with. I spent my life in the Senate - and in my family because if there’s one place nobody cares who you are, it’s there – trying to listen, understand, and act in a way that I thought would bring the values of American ideals to as many people as possible.
And those values don’t have a party. Honor, liberty, independence, and freedom to speak your mind are values that many in this country have fought, suffered, and died for, and, let me tell you, none of those folks that I served with cared a lick about which party you belonged to, they wanted these things for everyone. These are the things worth fighting for.
Now there might be disagreements on how to protect these rights, but, as long as the ideals of America fly at the top of the mast, then I didn’t worry too much - however I might have screamed and yelled – about how they were implement. Now, I always was pretty sure I was right, and didn’t hesitate to let folks know about it, but I didn’t hold those with different views in contempt or considered them less American.
What I’m coming to say to you today is that we have to get back to this. Hold the truth up as a standard, hold what we treasure as Americans, our unique heritage and the inalienable rights that we must guarantee to our children as our guiding principles. Then fight like hell for how you think they should be implemented. Go for the jugular, my friends, go for the hearts that beat under the American flag.
Don't ever let these things slip away because they won't be easy to recapture. We have the will, we have the knowledge, we have the structure if we will just use it. I am here at every turn to cheer you on your way in upholding the life blood of our country. Don’t let me down.
November 18, 2019