VFW slams Trump, Gold Star families demand apology

[cpwill]

Good to see a traditionally conservative group break free of the apparent moral vacuum that is the Trump campaign.

The Veterans of Foreign Wars blasted Donald Trump Monday and a group of Gold Star families of fallen service members demanded he apologize for comments about the parents of a slain Muslim U.S. solider."Election year or not, the VFW will not tolerate anyone berating a Gold Star family member for exercising his or her right of speech or expression," said Brian Duffy, who was elected July 27 to lead the nation's oldest and largest major war veterans organization.

"There are certain sacrosanct subjects that no amount of wordsmithing can repair once crossed," added Duffy, the national commander of the near 1.7 million-member Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States and its Auxiliary. "Giving one's life to nation is the greatest sacrifice, followed closely by all Gold Star families, who have a right to make their voices heard." The VFW statement came just hours after a group of Gold Star families wrote to Trump.

"Your recent comments regarding the Khan family were repugnant and personally offensive to us," wrote the group of 11 "Gold Star" families, who are those who have lost a family member in war. "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."...

Trump claimed - of all things - that Khan did not even have the right to criticize him. Thereby ironically providing supporting evidence to Khan's implicit assertion that Trump isn't familiar with the Constitution.


Better men respond to criticism from Gold Star family members like this:

Part of my duty as the President is to meet with those who’ve lost a loved one. And so, you know, listen, I sympathize with Mrs. Sheehan. She feels strongly about her –about her position. And I am – she has every right in the world to say what she believes. This is America. She has a right to her position. And I’ve thought long and hard about her position. I’ve heard her position from others, which is, get out of Iraq now. And it would be – it would be a mistake for the security of this country and the ability to lay the foundations for peace in the long-run, if we were to do so.
-George W Bush​

 

[j-mac]

Good to see a traditionally conservative group break free of the apparent moral vacuum that is the Trump campaign.



Trump claimed - of all things - that Khan did not even have the right to criticize him. Thereby ironically providing supporting evidence to Khan's implicit assertion that Trump isn't familiar with the Constitution.


Better men respond to criticism from Gold Star family members like this:

Part of my duty as the President is to meet with those who’ve lost a loved one. And so, you know, listen, I sympathize with Mrs. Sheehan. She feels strongly about her –about her position. And I am – she has every right in the world to say what she believes. This is America. She has a right to her position. And I’ve thought long and hard about her position. I’ve heard her position from others, which is, get out of Iraq now. And it would be – it would be a mistake for the security of this country and the ability to lay the foundations for peace in the long-run, if we were to do so.
-George W Bush​

I am less concerned about the faux outrage, and demand for apologies, than I am real substance from these campaigns....I think we have to ask ourselves how this sideshow helps anything?

 

[Ikari]

I am less concerned about the faux outrage, and demand for apologies, than I am real substance from these campaigns....I think we have to ask ourselves how this sideshow helps anything?

Neither Hillary nor Trump have anything of substance behind them. All we're going to get is the sideshow.

 

[manise]

I am less concerned about the faux outrage, and demand for apologies, than I am real substance from these campaigns....I think we have to ask ourselves how this sideshow helps anything?

Or, more to the point, how does this sideshow with gold star parents help the Trump campaign?

 

[haymarket]

Good to see a traditionally conservative group break free of the apparent moral vacuum that is the Trump campaign.



Trump claimed - of all things - that Khan did not even have the right to criticize him. Thereby ironically providing supporting evidence to Khan's implicit assertion that Trump isn't familiar with the Constitution.


Better men respond to criticism from Gold Star family members like this:

Part of my duty as the President is to meet with those who’ve lost a loved one. And so, you know, listen, I sympathize with Mrs. Sheehan. She feels strongly about her –about her position. And I am – she has every right in the world to say what she believes. This is America. She has a right to her position. And I’ve thought long and hard about her position. I’ve heard her position from others, which is, get out of Iraq now. And it would be – it would be a mistake for the security of this country and the ability to lay the foundations for peace in the long-run, if we were to do so.
-George W Bush​

A big flashing 100 foot high sign should be flashing in front of Trump and the GOP establishment..... when the VFW rips into the Republican candidate - they have serious problems.

 

[haymarket]

Neither Hillary nor Trump have anything of substance behind them. All we're going to get is the sideshow.

Look at the bright side: your party might be in line to do a massive DOUBLING of the public support for their candidate in this election and rock the political establishment getting as much as 2% of the popular vote.

Happy days are here again. :2wave:

 

[j-mac]

Neither Hillary nor Trump have anything of substance behind them. All we're going to get is the sideshow.

On that at the moment we agree....We will have to see how it goes from here on out.

 

[j-mac]

Or, more to the point, how does this sideshow with gold star parents help the Trump campaign?

How does this distraction help Hillary? Are you comfortable with Hillary being able to use this crap to avoid addressing her horrible record?

 

[Ikari]

Look at the bright side: your party might be in line to do a massive DOUBLING of the public support for their candidate in this election and rock the political establishment getting as much as 2% of the popular vote.

Happy days are here again. :2wave:

Already polling at 10%.

 

[cpwill]

I am less concerned about the faux outrage, and demand for apologies, than I am real substance from these campaigns....I think we have to ask ourselves how this sideshow helps anything?

I think it shows us pretty clearly the moral character and decision-making ability of those running the campaigns. In this case, significantly to their detriment.

And my anger here? Isn't faux. I expect this kind of despicable and dishonorable behavior from the anti-military dregs on the left. Not conservatives.

 

[Ikari]

How does this distraction help Hillary? Are you comfortable with Hillary being able to use this crap to avoid addressing her horrible record?

She doesn't have to say anything, she doesn't have to do anything. Which certainly helps her. She just has to sit back and let Trump put his foot in his mouth time after time again, he'll loose popular support each time and lose out votes in swing states. This is mickey mouse, and mickey mouse won't beat a Clinton.

This election is just going to be downright ugly. It's going to be insults and mud slinging, muck racking BS, no substance, drama filled, reality TV styled ignorance. Neither side has anything to really run on other than they are not the other person. That's it.

Hillary and Trump are both toxic for the Republic.

 

[j-mac]

Already polling at 10%.

Til they hear him speak...lol

 

[haymarket]

Already polling at 10%.

Yup - and watch that shrink over the next 97 days as the harsh reality sinks in. But I am on your side on this Ikari. I would absolutely LOVE IT should your party get one out of every ten normal GOP voters to shun Trump and pull the Libertarian lever in November. I would simply love it.

 

[Ikari]

I expect this kind of despicable and dishonorable behavior from the anti-military dregs on the left. Not conservatives.

And if it were Hillary who said this, not Trump, the outrage would all have been reversed. It wouldn't be "faux outrage" then. Everything depends on whether a D or a R did the deed. Opinions and outrage swap depending on that.

 

[Ikari]

Yup - and watch that shrink over the next 97 days as the harsh reality sinks in. But I am on your side on this Ikari. I would absolutely LOVE IT should your party get one out of every ten normal GOP voters to shun Trump and pull the Libertarian lever in November. I would simply love it.

Maybe, maybe not. If he were allowed in the debated, he'd really raise that number. But the Republcrats don't like challenges to their power base. So in the end, we'll be left with either Hillary or Trump and worse off for it.

 

[j-mac]

She doesn't have to say anything, she doesn't have to do anything. Which certainly helps her. She just has to sit back and let Trump put his foot in his mouth time after time again, he'll loose popular support each time and lose out votes in swing states. This is mickey mouse, and mickey mouse won't beat a Clinton.

This election is just going to be downright ugly. It's going to be insults and mud slinging, muck racking BS, no substance, drama filled, reality TV styled ignorance. Neither side has anything to really run on other than they are not the other person. That's it.

Hillary and Trump are both toxic for the Republic.

That's what we are left with....So, we can vote for a non politician, and lashes out stupidly, a un indicted criminal, liar, or a pot head.....We are f'ed.!

 

[Ikari]

That's what we are left with....So, we can vote for a non politician, and lashes out stupidly, a un indicted criminal, liar, or a pot head.....We are f'ed.!

I'm going with the pot head. Worst there is that prices of snack foods explode. lol

It's not actually a bad choice, Johnson is the only tried-and-true small government candidate out there.

 

[cabse5]

What is Trump to do? Apologize for something he didn't do? Apologize for something possibly generated by the dirty political tricks department of the Hillary campaign?

Trump NEVER showed any disrespect to the son's military service. Trump reserves the right, rightfully so, to comment on the incorrect statement from Mr. Khan that Trump's ban on Muslims was 'unconstitutional. Two completely different subjects.

 

[Rogue Valley]

I expect this kind of despicable and dishonorable behavior from the anti-military dregs on the left. Not conservatives.

Trump isn't a conservative.

Trump is a polarizing and divisive populist who cannot produce any nuts-and-bolts-details of exactly how his policies would "make America great again".

 

[Renae]

Good to see a traditionally conservative group break free of the apparent moral vacuum that is the Trump campaign.



Trump claimed - of all things - that Khan did not even have the right to criticize him. Thereby ironically providing supporting evidence to Khan's implicit assertion that Trump isn't familiar with the Constitution.


Better men respond to criticism from Gold Star family members like this:

Part of my duty as the President is to meet with those who’ve lost a loved one. And so, you know, listen, I sympathize with Mrs. Sheehan. She feels strongly about her –about her position. And I am – she has every right in the world to say what she believes. This is America. She has a right to her position. And I’ve thought long and hard about her position. I’ve heard her position from others, which is, get out of Iraq now. And it would be – it would be a mistake for the security of this country and the ability to lay the foundations for peace in the long-run, if we were to do so.
-George W Bush​

Love or hate the man, George W Bush had class.

 

[Grand Mal]

How does this distraction help Hillary? Are you comfortable with Hillary being able to use this crap to avoid addressing her horrible record?

If Clinton is smart she'll keep her yap shut and let Trump drive the bus.

 

[cpwill]

What is Trump to do? Apologize for something he didn't do? Apologize for something possibly generated by the dirty political tricks department of the Hillary campaign?

He should apologize for his disgusting and disrespectful smears against Khan, thank him for his sons' service and sacrifice, and move on.

Trump reserves the right, rightfully so, to comment on the incorrect statement from Mr. Khan that Trump's ban on Muslims was 'unconstitutional. Two completely different subjects.

Yeah. That's not what he's done. Instead of disagreeing with Mr Khan, he's been personally attacking him.

 

[cpwill]

And if it were Hillary who said this, not Trump, the outrage would all have been reversed. It wouldn't be "faux outrage" then. Everything depends on whether a D or a R did the deed. Opinions and outrage swap depending on that.

Exactly. Democrats furious about the Trump reaction to Khan studiously ignored their own side acting atrociously towards Patricia Smith. Republicans who felt that Patricia Smith spoke with total moral authority think it's totally disrespectful of the Democrats to put up the Khans like that. :roll:

Now, thanks to Trump, the GOP is the party of slandering Gold Star families, booing generals, and the parents of military members. Did Trump turn us into this party, or were we always like this, and I just assumed that most others were like me?


Bill Maher (who is agreeably an asshole, and who I disagree with a lot, otherwise) actually had a good point once that pertains to this: "If you abandon your principles when they become difficult or inconvenient, then you don't have principles. You have preferences."

 

[chuckiechan]

"Bloody shirt politics at its best". No better way to give the troops a target to focus on. Smart play, DNC.

The Democrats are masters of it. It's how they answer Republican accusations of Hillary's email crime that is forgiven by the FBI.

 

[cabse5]

He should apologize for his disgusting and disrespectful smears against Khan, thank him for his sons' service and sacrifice, and move on.



Yeah. That's not what he's done. Instead of disagreeing with Mr Khan, he's been personally attacking him.

How was he personally attacking Khan? So, you're saying Trump was wrong in the way he decided to criticize and correct Mr. Khan rather than Trump being wrong for criticizing and correcting Mr. Kahn?

Kahn tasks Trump... a Star Trek reference.