Arrow-right Camera

Color Scheme

Subscribe now

This column reflects the opinion of the writer. Learn about the differences between a news story and an opinion column.

Character counts

Character counts. Character is honor, integrity, strength, sacrifice, moral fiber. It is descriptive of an individual or a country.

I’m struck by the outpouring of deep respect and appreciation for John McCain from outside his political party and the silence from many within it. Why, especially at the time of one’s passing, can we not transcend political baloney and honor the character of a great human being? Because, by any measure, John McCain was a great person, one with more integrity, strength and love of country than most. He was the rare politician who would cross party lines to follow his conscience, the rare person who’d admit publicly when he was wrong. Someone who loved his country more than party and eschewed nationalism for patriotism.

In this time of divisiveness and blind fealty to political party or person, I grieve for the loss of a person I didn’t vote for, who knew that character counts and that it’s sorely missing within our society right now. We would all do well to place a high value on leaders who possess qualities of character, difficult as they may be to find. The character of our country is at stake.

Shannon Kapek

Spokane

Letters Policy

The Spokesman-Review invites original letters on local topics of public interest. Your letter must adhere to the following rules:

  • No more than 250 words
  • We reserve the right to reject letters that are not factually correct, racist or are written with malice.
  • We cannot accept more than one letter a month from the same writer.
  • With each letter, include your daytime phone number and street address.
  • The Spokesman-Review retains the nonexclusive right to archive and re-publish any material submitted for publication.

Unfortunately, we don’t have space to publish all letters received, nor are we able to acknowledge their receipt. (Learn more.)

Submit letters using any of the following:

Our online form
Submit your letter here
Mail
Letters to the Editor
The Spokesman-Review
999 W. Riverside Ave.
Spokane, WA 99201
Fax
(509) 459-3815

Read more about how we crafted our Letters to the Editor policy