We have found such a leader in John McCain. Senator McCain’s life symbolizes the timeless quintessential American story. A man of courage and compassion, McCain has the character and leadership of the next American president. Like the South Vietnamese struggle for democracy, McCain epitomizes our community’s values of patriotism, compassion, hope and freedom.
We seize upon his candidacy with immense pride – yet we haven’t discussed it often with individuals outside of our community.
The future of our democracy lies with our young citizens who honor the sacrifices of those who stand ready when their country needs them. As a young American naval aviator, McCain fought heroically in Vietnam to protect American honor and values; in doing so, he fought for our freedom as well. Captured by the enemy and badly hurt, McCain rejected the Viet Cong’s offer of an early release and demanded that every man arrested before him be released. As a result, he was imprisoned and tortured for five and a half years. In making that first courageous choice, McCain has shown his unwavering faith, strong character, and leadership ability early on in his life.
McCain’s qualifications extend beyond his character. As testimony to his “Country First” political philosophy, McCain led a bipartisan group of Republican and Democratic senators that worked tirelessly to resolve the stalemate in Congress on issues such as campaign finance reform, tobacco, health care, immigration policy, and judicial nominations. Senator McCain’s political courage and fiercely independent personality has earned him tremendous respect from independents and Democrats alike.
Our country is in a time of war, with ongoing conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq. Through our own hard-earned experiences, we understand the consequences of losing a war. The recent Russian invasion of Georgia threatens the future of democracy and freedom in that region and reminds us once again the dangerously volatile nature of foreign affairs and the necessity of a strong and wise American leadership. With substantial experience in military affairs and foreign policy, McCain is best qualified to confront the threat of radical Islamic extremism and to delivery victory in Iraq. His refusal to play politics with the Iraq war and his support for the “surge” strategy shows a rare combination of vision, judgment and principled leadership during a time of crisis.
As Vietnamese Americans who believe that Senator John McCain is uniquely qualified to lead our nation, we have been handed an unprecedented opportunity to express our gratitude for his sacrifices. Recognizing this opportunity also demands us to act.
We can begin by announcing our support for Senator McCain and the sources of its inspiration to our friends, our co-workers, and our neighbors; by registering to vote, writing editorials to the newspaper, and organizing people to volunteer for his campaign. We can become better Vietnamese-Americans and begin to voice our concerns in politics at the national stage.
In this election, we are given the chance to speak up in one voice and tell the world of our struggles and of our success in a freedom-loving nation.
With President McCain, America will move forward with strength, prosperity, wisdom and compassion. A victory for McCain is also a victory for our community and for the advancement of human rights and democracy in Vietnam. We humbly ask you to vote Senator McCain for our next president and join in the nationwide effort to secure a total victory on Election Day.
