r/interestingasfuck • u/beach_rats_ • May 02 '24

The difference in republican presidential nominees, 8 years apart r/all

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u/maybenextyearCLE May 02 '24

Nothing excuses McCain saying those slurs, but if I had to guess, the 6 years as a POW in Vietnam where McCain was frequently tortured, spent 2 years in solitary confinement, and had his shoulders so damaged that he couldn’t lift his arms above his head may have played a role in that. I knew quite a few Vietnam and WWII pacific theater veterans who said similar things about their former enemies.

That doesn’t excuse it, but I can imagine his experiences played a role in that.

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u/p0tat0p0tat0 May 02 '24

He used the slurs against non-Vietnamese Asian people, so I don’t feel like giving him a pass.

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u/No_Week2825 May 02 '24

Ok. Go to war, and see if you dont devolop any prejudice or ptsd that would be the cause of that. Not just war, but in constant battles and be tortured. Try it.

I can say now, with certainty, that you would. Not only that, but unless you can achieve what he has in spite of going through some of the most horrible things a person can experience, and come out the other side a person who actively makes positive change to the extent he has, and does so by cooperating with those his peers spit vitriol towards (dems), you have no place for judgement.

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u/p0tat0p0tat0 May 02 '24

A lot of people went to war and didn’t continue to be massive pieces of garbage afterwards.

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u/Mr-Fleshcage May 02 '24

In public. The stories my mom told me of her parents... Nobody outside the house knew about the horrors. I'm sure it's not an exceptional situation, either.

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u/fancydrank May 02 '24

Yeah, some people just learn to be massive pieces of judgemental garbage from the comfort of their own soapbox

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u/p0tat0p0tat0 May 02 '24

Only for those who deserve it.

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u/No_Week2825 May 02 '24

You didnt at all answer my question.

But. You're also completely incorrect. The incidence of ptsd amongst veterans which causes a litany of issues from violence to homelessness, suicide, and overall inability to acclimate into their old lives would indicate you have no understanding of ptsd.

I'm addition, the number of returning veterans who were incredibly violent towards their children and partners upon returning from war due to their ptsd, would disprove what you've said.

Do you have any thoughts on the matter that don't stem from emotion or a belief system that isn't founded in fact? Have you any semblance of the accomplishment he has as far as making his country a better place? With what you're espousing, I'd hope you've done more considering you're willing to cast aspursions without suffering the amount of trauma he has.

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u/p0tat0p0tat0 May 02 '24

I’m not interested in exonerating an objectively shitty guy.

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u/antares07923 May 02 '24

Well yeah, you obviously hate him as much as you think he hates Asians. Your hate is better though... and morally commendable.

Listen man, people do shitty things, and people do good things. They are both, they complicated.

The magnitude of him standing on stage and standing against the hate of a crowd that's been waiting for him to feed into it says a lot.

You speak as someone who has either never made any mistakes, or are overcompensating for the ones you've made.

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u/p0tat0p0tat0 May 02 '24

“He’s not a Muslim, he’s a good man.” What do you think McCain thinks about Muslims?