Profiles in Cowardice

Senate Majority Leader, Mitch McConnell

House Speaker Paul Ryan

Many years ago John F. Kennedy wrote a book called "Profiles in Courage."  Per Wikipedia (and I am quoting here):

"The book profiles senators who defied the opinions of their party and constituents and do what they felt was right and suffered severe criticism and losses in (their) popularity because of their actions."

Sadly folks, in light of Donald Trumps recent disparagement of the Kahn's, a Gold Star family, the Republican leadership is demonstrating not profiles in courage but profiles in cowardice. 

The Republican leadership under Senator Mitch McConnell, Senate Majority Leader and Paul Ryan, Speaker of the House, refuses to pull their support of Donald Trump.  By doing so they have demonstrated that their party (the Republicans) is more important than doing what is right, recognizing that Donald Trump is unfit to be president. 
 

Donald Trump

Shame on them.

Donald Trump - Apologize!!

The Kahn Family at the Democratic National Convention

Donald Trump, for once in your life do the right thing. Apologize to the Kahns.

An apology through your campaign is not satisfactory. 

Apologize to the Kahn family for implying a grieving mother wasn't allowed to speak because she is a Muslim.  

Below is a letter from the Gold Star Members family demanding an apology from Donald Trump:

VoteVets releases Gold Star Family Members letter to Trump, demand apology for all Gold Star Families

“Ours is a sacrifice you will never know. Ours is a sacrifice we would never want you to know.”

WASHINGTON, DC – Family members of twenty-three fallen service-members are writing to Donald J. Trump today, expressing their dismay at his treatment of the family of CPT. Humayun Khan, and demanding an apology.  The letter was organized by Karen Meredith, a Gold Star mother who serves as Military Families Coordinator for VoteVets.org.

The letter is below: 

August 1, 2016

Donald J Trump

725 Fifth Avenue

New York, NY 10022

Mr. Trump, 

We are all Gold Star Families, who have lost those we love the most in war. Ours is a sacrifice you will never know. Ours is a sacrifice we would never want you to know.

Your recent comments regarding the Khan family were repugnant, and personally offensive to us. When you question a mother's pain, by implying that her religion, not her grief, kept her from addressing an arena of people, you are attacking us. When you say your job building buildings is akin to our sacrifice, you are attacking our sacrifice.

You are not just attacking us, you are cheapening the sacrifice made by those we lost.

You are minimizing the risk our service members make for all of us. 

This goes beyond politics. It is about a sense of decency. That kind decency you mock as "political correctness." 

We feel we must speak out and demand you apologize to the Khans, to all Gold Star families, and to all Americans for your offensive, and frankly anti-American, comments.  

We hope you will hear us. 

Sincerely,  

Diane and Neil Santoriello, Mother and Father of 1LT Neil Santoriello, KIA, Iraq 

Summer Lipford-Mickelson, Mother, Frederick Sirko, Father, Kirby Mickelson, Stepfather, Laura Sirko Samimy and Bridget Sirko Gentle, Sisters of PFC Steven Sirko, KIA, Iraq.   

Sue and Randy Loudon, Mother and Father of 2ndLt. Christopher Loudon, KIA, Iraq 

Melanie House, Widow of HM3 John Daniel House, KIA, Iraq 

Derek and Lorene Davey, Mother and Father of Cpl. Seamus M. Davey, KIA, Iraq 

Celeste Zappala, Mother of SGT. Sherwood Baker, KIA, Iraq 

Sue Niederer, Mother of 2LT Seth Dvorin, KIA, Iraq 

Fulvio and Gilda Carbonaro, Father and Mother of Sgt. Alessandro Carbonaro, KIA, Iraq 

Karen Meredith, Mother of 1LT Ken Ballard, KIA, Iraq 

Sergio Torres, Father, Lupe Torres, Mother and Beatriz Saldivar, Aunt of SGT Daniel Torres, KIA, Iraq 

MG (Ret.) Paul D. Eaton, and Frank Eaton, sons of Col. Norman Eaton, KIA, Vietnam

Stephanie Fisher, mother of SSG Thomas Fogarty, KIA  Afghanistan

Norma and Oscar Aviles, parents of Lcpl. Andrew J. Aviles, KIA Iraq 

Cheryl Lankford, widow of CSM Jonathan"Miles"Lankford Sr., KIAIraq

Carlos and Melida Arredondo Father & Step-Mother to Lcpl. Alexander Arredondo, KIA, Iraq 

Florence Sandra Penn , sister of 1 LT Charles Penn Jr , KIA Korea 

Nadia McCaffrey, mother of SGT Patrick McCaffrey, KIA Iraq

Xiomara Mena, Mother of CPL Andy D Anderson KIA, Iraq

Annette Pritchard, Aunt of PFC William Ramirez, KIA Iraq

Paula Davis, Mother of PFC Justin R. Davis , KIA Afghanistan

Nooshin Razani, Sister of SPC Omead Razani, KIA Iraq

Christina Ayube, Mother of Sgt James Anthony Ayube II, KIA Afghanistan

Keavin Duffy, Brother of SGT Shane Duffy KIA Iraq