Tag: Purple Heart

Duncan Hunter and other politicians who served are not above the law. Most Americans correctly believe that military service is deserving of respect and gratitude, especially in time of war. The “thank you for your service” acknowledgment heard when someone in uniform is encountered by fellow passengers on a plane or by a supermarket checkout clerk may seem small recognition, but it does suggest a public awareness that something more than a token greeting is called for. At the same time, military service, however ennobling, does not confer lifetime immunity from obedience to the laws of the land. The latest sad example is Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., a former Marine who served in both Iraq and Afghanistan. He now stands accused of massive fraud that includes using campaign funds for personal expenses — everything from foreign travel to his wife’s cosmetics. We have a tendency to impute to people who have served their country valiantly a kind of moral perfection, that heroism in combat must surely have its counterpart in other areas of their lives. Veterans are accountable like everyone else Still, both political parties view military service as an asset — a stamp of character— in a candidate. Our support for them is a token not merely of our identification with their party or the issues that they champion, but also of our respect and gratitude for their service. Even so, respect them as we do, we must hold them to the same standards as any other elected official.

Former Marine Corps bomb technician Joey Jones calls Rep. Cohen's remarks 'disgusting.' FOX News Channel (FNC) is a 24-hour all-encompassing news service dedicated to delivering breaking news as well as political and business news. The number one network in cable,…