alone would be sufficient - even if McCain's role was specifically related to measuring or instilling high morale. Since the 1960s when he was last out in the field, the country has moved a HUGE way from where it was then. The change is enormous - going from very few people being "out" to many states, though not enough, having civil unions and gay marriages.
In 1993, Senator Kerry spoke in defense of gays serving openly in the Senate and testifying before Strom Thurmond's commission. The testimony was interesting because it shows where the Senate was in 1993 and Kerry's view of the military is from the same time frame as McCain's. One interesting side note is the respect the Republicans then showed Kerry for his service. The first comment shows that Kerry, unlike the others, was well aware of the generational change, which has accelerated since then, on this.
"Senator KERRY. Well, sir, let me say to you, the question is—that is a very legitimate question. And I do not diminish that question at all. And it is one that people are wrestling with. But you know, if you go to kids' schools today, and some schools do not have discipline, some do. And I understand the distinctions. But you have got plenty of schools where, I think, there is discipline. There are openly gay people. They are dancing. And your kids are dancing in a heterosexual relationship. Now, there is discipline in the schools. It does not upset the kids. They all get along. They all go to classes together. They play sports together. And they go on. The same thing at college today "
He also was honest about the change since he was in the Navy.
"Senator KERRY. Well, I think that—all I can say is that I have experienced shocks that other people have experienced. The first time I ever saw two men dancing together in a place where there were gays I was sort of taken back by it. I admit it. And yet their dancing together was their choice, and it did not really impact my life. I still had the right to go out and dance where I wanted to dance, and to dance with a woman and to lead my life as I wanted to.
And I just think you have got to be very careful about where we are going in terms of this concept of tolerance and discrimination. I think you can work out a standard of behavior and I do not think it is going to be quite as challenging as everybody is making it out to be. "
http://cmrlink.org/printfriendly.asp?docID=228Now, we are 17 years - almost a generation - beyond the 1993 period and opinions have changed even more rapidly. Now, McCain is 10 years older than Kerry, but what is stunning about McCain is that he really seems unable to re-examine opinions he held as a young man. If that were all I knew about a person, I would be reluctant to see him in any position of power. Being incapable of change is not a virtue.
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