Trump and McCain; Fort Worth council changes;

Trump and McCain

While John McCain and countless others volunteered to put themselves in harm’s way during the Vietnam War, Donald Trump avoided military service as a student with a sore foot.

Apparently that qualifies this loud-mouthed draft dodger to impugn McCain’s status as a true American hero.

In 1966, Lt. John McCain was one of my flight instructors at Navy basic jet training, Squadron 7, based at McCain Field, a Mississippi naval air station coincidentally named for his grandfather.

There was no aviator in that squadron more respected, more intimidating and more envied than John.

Our respect deepened when, shortly after leaving the squadron, he survived wounds suffered during the USS Forrestal disaster, refusing to return to the United States and voluntarily transferring to the air wing assigned to the USS Oriskany, only to be shot down over Hanoi within the month.

John’s response to these horrific events was to refuse his captors’ offer of an early release.

By his refusal, he subjected himself to 51/2 years of unspeakable torture, deprivation, solitary confinement and serious physical disability.

I ran into John at DFW Airport in 2006, and we reminisced and laughed together for a half-hour or so.

My respect for him is based on the man he has proven himself to be — a genuine American hero who has served and sacrificed for his country.

— Jack V. Strickland, Fort Worth

If Sens. Ted Cruz and John Cornyn are afraid to denounce Donald Trump for his attack on Sen. John McCain, they do not deserve the votes of veterans like me.

If, by some catastrophic event, Trump becomes the Republican candidate, I will vote for someone else in the national election, even if I have to write in a name.

Trump dodged the draft for more than four years and has the nerve to call someone who was imprisoned, punished and crippled for life a non-hero. He doesn’t understand the meaning of the word.

— Gordon Rae McDougall,

Arlington

Donald Trump is light years away from earning the bones to meaningfully evaluate anyone in uniform, whether captured or not captured.

Most U.S. aviators of the Vietnam conflict, when asked about the POWs in Hanoi, would respond, “There but for the grace of God went we all.”

— Jerry B. Houston, Fort Worth

Council changes

The changes proposed for the Fort Worth City Council are welcome. (See Wednesday news story, “Council may get a raise, limited terms.”)

It’s long past time to consider a fair recompense for the hours of work our council members face if they represent their districts properly. Those hours and the small amount they are paid have probably deterred many from seeking office who might have been outstanding council members.

This is a big city now and the districts are too large for the number of council members. That needs to change.

One thing in question is term limits. We saw in the last election that voters make choices when change is needed.

Term limits take those choices away from the voters. Why would we want to remove a really good representative from office just because his or her time is up?

Let’s get the committee together and start the ball rolling!

— Wanda Conlin, Fort Worth

This story was originally published July 22, 2015 at 5:29 PM with the headline "Trump and McCain; Fort Worth council changes;."