What constitutes being a real HERO?

As many have heard, the word "hero" has been tossed around lately and applied to a certain individual -- a prominent senator -- that recently died; a war hero, some claim because he was a POW (prisoner of war) in Vietnam for some years after being shot down in his fighter jet.

Of course I'm writing about Sen. J. McCain.

Beating a dead horse after he's no longer with us, is not my style, but some things should be cleared up and made right regarding his "heroism," and what constitutes being a real hero.

First, I find it amazing how McCain's former enemies have practically canonized and almost deified this fallen human being at this funeral, while behind the scenes, they hate him.  A strong word, hate, but hate nonetheless.  I call these morons hypocrites, plain and simple.

But this is part of the playbook of the hard left, hypocritical mainstream media -- who hated him while he was alive, and now cannot praise him enough, sound familiar?   There is a reason for this undue praise: to contrast their version of what a hero is with that of President Trump, attacking him daily with words seething with malice and death threats.

By the way, why isn't the Secret Service and the Justice Department investigating these numerous threats?  After all, threatening the president is a federal crime!

I am a Vietnam veteran, but thank heaven I was never a POW.  But does "just" being a POW make one a war hero?  Maybe, maybe not.  There are plenty of examples of what a real hero is, and I'll give some examples shortly...

One of the problems I have with McCain's actions during his years as a senator, is that he consistently short-circuited any legislation to look into credible reports of sightings of POWs left behind after the 1973 accords with Hanoi.  In addition, his documented treatment of the families of those POWs was nothing short of despicable, as they approached him in person, begging for his support in trying to find out the status of their loved ones, still POW or MIA (missing in action).

Second, you would think that someone who's been a POW for many years, and survived, would detest war and the consequences of the mayhem and suffering that is part and parcel of the opposite of peace.  But no, McCain was a war-hawk.  What I call a war-monger.  He could never resist the temptation of involving us in war after war, invading and occupying other sovereign countries under false pretenses, and in so doing, bolster the military industrial complex by the sale of arms and ammunition.   And he often sided with the "rebels" as apposed to government forces of a particular nation, allowing civil wars to drag on for years, causing so much death and destruction of the peoples, and infrastructure, it will be years for recovery to take place, if it ever happens.

In short, he was a traitor to his Republican Party, a traitor to the pro-life movement, a traitor to the Natural Law in general, with little consideration or care for the scandal and misery he caused by his actions or inactions while in the military or during his time in the Senate.

And now, here are my thoughts on what constitutes a real hero...

The average "Joe" who goes about his daily business, working to support his family, paying the bills, showing charity to his neighbor.

The average "Jane" who goes about the business of being the heart of her family, sacrificing for her children, keeping the "wolves" at bay.

A fireman taking risks every time he is called out to fight a fire, and rescue people, cats and dogs from certain and horrible deaths.

A police officer who puts on the uniform in the morning and leaves home to serve the community.

Blood donors, the "quiet heroes".

Those in the military protecting our country (not imposing our version of democracy on other nations), but protecting OUR country from foreign AND domestic enemies.

The good priests that serve their flocks from the attacks of the evil one; who baptize the newborn, who performs marriages, and buries the dead.

Men and women fighting and coping with debilitating diseases every day of their lives.

This in only a short list; there are many more examples, I'm sure.  But these folks rarely if ever get their names in the newspapers, or are rarely if ever interviewed, no, these folks bear their crosses and pray for strength and perseverance.

And I bet they also pray for their country.  Will you?

Gene DeLalla