Commonly defined, RESPECT is “a feeling of deep admiration for someone or something based on their abilities, qualities, or achievements”; whereas ADULATION involves “obsequious flattery; excessive admiration or praise; hero worship; idolization; glorification; etc.”; while PERSPECTIVE is “a particular attitude toward or way of regarding something; a point of view.”
U.S. Senator John McCain died August 25, 2018, at age 81, following a year-long battle with brain cancer. A heartbreaking struggle not waged and suffered by him alone. For, reportedly, in 2018 an estimated 80,000 new cases of primary malignant and non-malignant brain tumor and other Central Nervous System tumors will be diagnosed in the United States alone.
Senator McCain was laid to rest at the U.S. Naval Academy, following five days of memorial events, beginning in his home state of Arizona. “Five days” of around-the-clock related activities, as the truly touched and concerned seemed overshadowed by a feeding-frenzy of ratings-driven news media and countless attention-craving politicians, self-absorbed celebrities, and others striving to grasp their special moment-in-the-sun. Including attention-seekers many of whom, prior to his death, had publically held the Senator and/or what he stood for in utter contempt, personally and/or politically. As well as a shameful many who chose to use his death and memorial services as a platform to beat partisan political drums.
Senator McCain’s Spouses included Carol McCain (m. 1965–1980); and Cindy McCain (m. 1980–2018). Cindy Lou (Hensley) McCain, born May 20, 1954, whom Senator McCain married in 1980, reportedly inherited a majority stake in the Phoenix Anheuser-Busch beer distributorship her father founded in 1955. At his death, Cindy’s and Senator McCain’s net worth has reportedly been estimated to be about $300 million and $16 million, respectively. Not a bad nest egg from years of “public service” (which is another story for a later time). A most comfortable nest egg none of which is likely to be used to reimburse taxpayer-expenses at the local, state, and federal level involved in accommodating the Senator’s many exorbitant funeral ceremonies.
Fittingly, no honorable military service, or the unspeakable cruelty suffered as a POW, should be forgotten or disrespected by our nation. Nonetheless, and as a matter of thoughtful perspective, it seems important also that our we remain mindful that John McCain was but one of some 2.7 million Americans who served in Vietnam (out of about 9 million military personnel serving on active duty during the Vietnam Era of August 1964 – May 1975). A war claiming the lives of over 58,000 members of our U.S. Armed Forces and seriously wounding more than 300,000 others.
Although the percent that died is similar to other wars, amputations or crippling wounds were 300 percent higher than in World War II, resulting in over 75,000 Vietnam veterans being severely disabled. A war that reportedly also killed over 200,000 South Vietnamese soldiers; more than one million North Vietnamese and Viet Cong fighters; and an estimated two million civilians on both sides.
By any reasonable measure, the attention given to Senator McCain’s passing was relatively immense, if not unduly extreme. To what extent sincere and justified remains a matter of perspective. In any case, it is time for our nation to get back to the business-at-hand. And in doing so, not lose sight of the crucial effort our country’s Founding Fathers so wisely put forth to leave us with a Constitutional Republic where “we the people” are sovereign.
Where we are free of Kings, Queens, and other governmental Supreme Beings. Free of the liberty-threatening trappings associated with obsequious flattery; excessive admiration or praise; hero worship; idolization; and glorification, etc., of other mere human beings—especially those in government or other positions of power and influence. Whether their name be John McCain, or otherwise. —William James Moore
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