Say no to Trump

Well, now I'm going to be perfectly blunt in sending a little message to my more conservative friends and republicans in general: Dump Trump.

There it is in black and white. Two words, simple and direct as I can make it. Now you might be asking why, when this man is strangely at the top of the polls for the moment. Well, it all has to do with Donald Trump's recent remarks about a certain veteran's service record a couple of weeks ago. And implying that this veteran was a loser for getting captured, not a war "hero." The veteran in question is none other than Sen. John McCain.

He is a highly decorated veteran of the Vietnam War with a Silver Star, Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross, Bronze Star, Purple Heart and much more for his career as a naval aviator. Back then, Captain McCain was a POW when his A-4E Skyhawk was shot down over Hanoi in 1967. He became a prisoner of the infamous "Hanoi Hilton" for more than five years. He survived torture and poor treatment of his injuries that he incurred in the crash and at the hands of the enemy when he was shot down (both arms and a leg broken plus a crushed shoulder from a rifle butt) that left their marks permanently on his body. Yet this man is a “loser” according to someone famous for blasting nothing but hot air and vile insults against any who oppose his toxic rhetoric.

This is more than enough to tell someone like me, a veteran, that Trump is not qualified to lead as Commander in Chief of our Armed Forces. His very vocal and public statements during and after the incident in question toward a decorated veteran is living proof Trump is far from qualified to hold office.

I held back from saying anything until now because, one, I was very angry and needed time to calm down. And two, I was hoping Trump would do the right thing and apologize for his words and actions to Sen. McCain and to all veterans who served this country in peace and war, combat veteran and POW alike. An insult like his offended every one of us deeply. So far that apology isn't coming in the near future nor do I see it coming at all. An apology such as this would not be a sign of weakness. It would in fact be a sign of integrity. That seems to lacking in the character of one Trump.

While I may not agree with some of Sen. McCain's politics, he does, however, have my deepest respect as a veteran. In my opinion, he is a war hero and I have the highest regard for his sacrifices for this country during the conflict in Vietnam. I will defend that service with vigor. Trumps actions and words — against a man who is not even in the race — are an offense that must be addressed directly by every card-carrying veteran in America, regardless of party or political ideology. Trump has earned only my utter contempt. This man is not fit to serve as President of the United States.

So I must ask those in charge to do the right thing, dump Trump. Yeah, I know he is making noises about going rogue as a possible third party if the republicans don't go his way. That is the chance you are going to have to take. Or do you want to be associated with a blowhard that is all mouth and little brains up for the highest office in the land? Out of the rest of the 16 republican candidates there must be some one better than Trump. Isn't there?

This man is not about serving the country, nor the people that reside in it. Trump is about serving Trump and that is plain as the dog tags hanging from my neck.

Wasilla resident Daniel D. Grota retired from the U.S. Army after more than 21 years of service.