Criticisms of McCain, Carroll County unfounded
The Clarion-Ledger • April 24, 2008
I was born and reared in Carroll County. When I read George O. Lambus' comments about Carroll County and Sen. John McCain's family ("Should McCain be proud of heritage in Carroll County?" April 9), I was appalled. That statement was the first time that I had ever heard about any Klan activity anywhere other than on the TV news. Maybe there has been an individual or so that was involved in the Klan from Carroll County, I do not know. I have neither known anyone involved myself nor did I ever hear my parents or granddad speak of such and they, too, were born and reared in Carroll County.
As far as Sen. McCain is concerned, he can be proud of heritage in Carroll County, because as far as I've ever heard, the McCain family were well respected, law abiding, and honorable people.
I looked up information about the Klan from World Book Encyclopedia, which says the KKK had four major periods: 1) mid-1860s to early 1870s; 2) 1915 to 1944; 3) late 1940s to early 1970s; 4) since the mid-1970s. Sen. McCain's great grandfather, J.S. McCain, became sheriff of Carroll County in January 1891 and served through 1895. In January 1896, J.S. McCain took over as Carroll County Beat 2 supervisor. The last two years, he served as board of supervisors president. J.S. McCain was not sheriff during the active period of the Klan.
I have never judged a person by who their relatives are. People need to be judged on their own merit. Sen. McCain has merit of his own. He has served his country well, with honor and integrity. People of Carroll County are proud of Sen. McCain and proud to be from Carroll County. Maybe Mr. Lambus has been around too many crooked law enforcement officers and dishonest people lately to be making such unfounded statements.
Linda Grantham Lehman, West
Speaking of family tradition, the Daily Mississippian discusses McCain's roots in Mississippi: McCain's family lineage traces back to Mississippi
While presidential nominee John McCain may be a senator from Arizona, his roots are grounded deeply in Mississippi. Marvin King, assistant professor of political science, said McCain's heritage will certainly help him win votes in Mississippi. "Having roots in a state is usually seen as a plus by campaign teams," he said.
Unlike King, John Winburn, assistant professor of political science, said he does not think McCain's Mississippi heritage will affect the amount of votes he receives in the state. While having a family connection in Mississippi will not hurt McCain, it will probably not provide a lot of votes either, Winburn said. "He personally does not have a real close tie with the state," Winburn said. "In any event, the state's conservative and Republican leanings are much more important than his family background for picking up support throughout Mississippi."
McCain paid tribute to his southern ancestors when he began his "Service to America" tour in Meridian a few weeks ago. "The family I was born into, the family I am blessed with now, made me the man I am," McCain said. "By all accounts, the McCains of Carroll County were devoted to one another and their traditions; a lively, proud and happy family on the Mississippi Delta."
In his book "Faith of our Fathers," McCain tells of his ancestor William McCain who moved to Carroll County in 1848 from North Carolina. William, the senator's great-great grandfather, became the sheriff in Carroll County. He was a plantation owner who died in the Civil War fighting for the Confederacy.
McCain's grandfather, John Sidney McCain, Sr., was born in 1884 in Teoc, Miss. He attended the University of Mississippi for one year in 1901 and left the South in 1902 to enter the U.S. Naval Academy, according to the Arlington National Cemetery Web site. He was an admiral in the U.S. Navy and a notable commander of the Fast Carrier Task Force in World War II, according to the Web site.
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