Quote Originally Posted by carl View Post
The July 4th edition of Stars & Stripes had an opinion article by Rep. Duncan Hunter in which he expressed concern that an unstated standard has been created for awarding the Medal of Honor to soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan; only the dead can receive the Medal.
I just read the opinion by Hunter and it annoys me a heck of a lot more than the response from McGinn. Is this really the best use of his time? He's taking on an issue that is difficult to debate in the public domain rationally and I think he knows that. Anyone who disagrees with him on this issue can so easily be cast as someone who is trivializing the sacrifices of servicemembers that I am surprised anyone such as McGinn dared to respond.

This passage in particular really rubs me the wrong way:

There have also been several cases were posthumous recommendations have been downgraded at the final stages of the review process. The most notable involves Marine Corps Sgt. Rafael Peralta, who was killed in Iraq when he absorbed a grenade blast with his body, saving the lives of his fellow Marines. Peralta received the Navy Cross despite being recommended for the Medal of Honor by his chain of command.

That decision was reached by an independent review panel composed of two pathologists, a neurosurgeon and several other so-called “experts.” The panel determined that Sgt. Peralta could not have consciously performed the actions witnessed by those Marines at his side and acknowledged by Marine Corps leadership.
That sounds like a perfectly legitimate finding to me. Hunter opts to rebut by mocking the people who came to that difficult decision. When is the last time that he made a difficult decision? He's in a solidly Republican district, got elected with his name recognition, a suspiciously well-timed mobilization from reserve status, and the backing of his daddy. He can pretty well say and do as he pleases.

This, too, seemed rather unnecessary:
My letter not only reflected the viewpoint of a newly elected member of Congress but also a Marine combat veteran of both wars.
Okay, congratulations. You deployed a few times. You're so special.

I wish people like the Honorable Duncan Hunter would just STFU. McGinn probably doesn't even know what she is talking about and had someone else write the response for her. Even if she didn't, I don't detect any ill intent. Ignorance, maybe. Hunter, on the other hand, seems like a weasel to me. His populist politics BS is far more disgraceful.