Dignity and honor……. even in defeat

Everyone around the world is going gaga over the recently concluded U.S presidential elections and especially over the winner Mr.Barack Obama.He seems to be a fine young man and may make a wonderful president even though he faces a tough road ahead. He also seems to be much more knowledgeable, articulate, humane and approachable then that of his predecessor, the ever fumbling Bush who led his country into two wars and during whose watch America slid into recession and into financial collapse.

But I was more impressed by his opponent John McCain and the way he handled defeat. After the election results were announced this 71year old Vietnam veteran having Cris-crossed campaigning this vast country tirelessly for 24 moths accepted defeat very sportingly and with enormous dignity .I have to admit that initially I did not favor him much and wasn’t impressed by this friend and a fellow republican of Bush. I considered him too old and his views and policies too similar to that of bush.

John McCain who was a held as a prisoner of war in Vietnam for around five years of which two years were in solitary confinement and was severely tortured during this time displayed exemplary courage and valor when he was held as a p.o.w . When his captors came to know that he was the son of the commander of US forces in Vietnam and a very important Admiral they offered to release him for propaganda purpose but he declined the offer as he would only accept repatriation if every man taken in before him was released as well. After this time his torture was increased to such levels that he made a suicide attempt which was stopped by the guards. Due to the various forms of torture that he endured during those days and due to his wartime injuries McCain is permanently incapable of raising his arms above his head.

During the entire campaign McCain displayed and maintained exemplary honor, dignity and a gentlemanly conduct and a man to man respect vis-à-vis his political opponent .In a glowing example of putting his country first before himself and everything else too he deferred and shortened the 2008 Republican National Convention because of hurricane Gustav.He never indulged in personal character mud slinging stuff and what I found extremely surprising was at times he even defended his opponent himself!!!!!!!!!! One particular instance comes to my mind. McCain was somewhere in the U.S on the campaign trail and during his interaction with the audience someone, most likely one of his ardent fans, suggested that Obama was anti-national .McCain swung to his opponents defense and told the guy “No sir I don’t agree with your views, he is not a anti-national, he is very much a patriotic person who loves this country as much as I do, we just don’t agree with each others policies.” This type of standing up for your opponent and more importantly putting you neck on the line for your beliefs takes courage and shows you what kind of a real person McCain is .Even though having gone through numerous horrors and being subjected to immense torture and even after fighting plenty of personal battles he hasn’t let all of these things make him a bitter or a vengeful person. He is dedicated to serving his country as before and as faithfully as he had done it when he was in uniform .I just hope, that our own Indian politicians learn something from this fellow, from his dedication, from his love for his country and start doing something constructively for our people rather then just mud slinging at each other and indulging in corrupt practices and enjoying themselves at taxpayers expenses.

I was even more impressed by McCain when he delivered his concession speech. It showed how much this guy loved his country, how far he was willing to go for his countrymen, and of course how to be a gracious loser. In my book McCain is the real winner in this election .Ending this post with some lines taken out from McCain’s concession speech which touched me for their simplicity and which showed his love for his country….
“….. The American people have spoken, and they have spoken clearly…..A little while ago, I had the honor of calling Senator Barack Obama to congratulate him….”
“…Senator Obama has achieved a great thing for himself and for his country. I applaud him for it, and offer him my sincere sympathy that his beloved grandmother did not live to see this day. Though our faith assures us she is at rest in the presence of her creator and so very proud of the good man she helped raise”
“…….I urge all Americans who supported me to join me in not just congratulating him, but offering our next president our good will and earnest effort to find ways to come together….”
“…..We fought — we fought as hard as we could. And though we feel short, the failure is mine, not yours.”
“……A lost election will never mean more to me than the privilege of your faith and friendship”
“….Today, I was a candidate for the highest office in the country I love so much. And tonight, I remain her servant. That is blessing enough for anyone…”
“…Tonight — tonight, more than any night, I hold in my heart nothing but love for this country and for all its citizens, whether they supported me or Senator Obama…”
“….I wish Godspeed to the man who was my former opponent and will be my president…..”