Díaz: John McCain and Jeff Flake must face Arizonans' wrath

John McCain’s secret trip to northern Syria is a testament to his steadfast commitment to the security of his country.

The Wall Street Journal reported that the Republican lawmaker is believed to be the first U.S. official to travel to Kobani since the Kurdish controlled-area became a hub in the fight against Islamic State.

It takes guts to travel to such a violence-ridden region, even under such military secrecy.

Hats off to the senator.

Now, it’s time for him and his colleague Sen. Jeff Flake to show they're fearless to face the wrath of their constituents.

The two Arizona senators must not shy away from holding town-hall meetings to listen to the people.

MONTINI: Are Flake and McCain afraid of you?

There is a coordinated national effort by the left to pack town halls of Republican lawmakers. But as far as I can tell, these people aren’t paid, as the White House suggested in an attempt to dismiss their concerns.

Are McCain and Flake really afraid of being yelled and booed? Nobody likes that, of course. But they both know how worried people are with everything from President Donald Trump's appointments to his immigration directives, among other things.

They must give them the chance to express their frustrations and their recommendations in person. The fact that folks are systematically organizing, just like the "tea party" did, doesn’t make their concerns less relevant.

Sure, images of screaming crowds almost certainly would come back to haunt Flake in his reelection bid next year. But both were elected to represent everyone in the state, not just the sympathetic crowds.

Don’t hide, senators. People need to feel you care, and for that, you must face them.

Elvia Díaz is an editorial columnist for The Republic and azcentral. Reach her at 602-444-8606 or elvia.diaz@arizonarepublic.com. Follow her on Twitter, @elviadiaz1.