Let me say this to those in the back – There was no ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery on Aug. 26. No ceremony had been organized by the military or any branch of the armed services, Department of Veteran Affairs, or any other government body, or civilian programs that work in conjunction with any government organization at any level whatsoever.
Ergo, when Donald Trump showed up at ANC with cameras to take a photo op, it wasn’t part of any organized event. It’s actually against the rules and conduct of the ANC to do what Trump did. Even if he had the permission from the departed’s family and next of kin, it is still technically illegal to do. Now, Trump and his people could’ve pleaded ignorance and plausible deniability and it probably would’ve gone away without much controversy.
However, the U.S. Army is reported that a cemetery aide was physically pushed aside when the aide tried to prevent these photos. Trump had went to ANC to place a wreath in memory of the 13 military service members who were killed during the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021. Of course, let’s not overlook that it’s because Trump orchestrated this withdrawal while he left office, so it would’ve been a good gesture for him to do so. Yet, it’s obvious he doesn’t care about the killed people. He’s just did it to make himself look good for his gullible fanbase.
And in the last week, people have defended Trump saying that neither President Joe Biden, Vice-President Kamala Harris nor Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz were there. Again, this wasn’t an official ceremony. There are strict guidelines about campaigning regardless of what political party anywhere in ANC. It’s considered hallowed ground in the military as any cemetery should be considered.
Of course, Trump is the type of person who can’t live off-camera or off-social media. He has got to have all the attention he can when he can. Taking a group picture in front of headstones smiling and giving a stupid thumbs up is one of the most tasteless political items I’ve seen. Another was in July when he kissed a prop of the uniform that belonged to Corey Comperatore, a Pennsylvania firefighter who was killed at an assassination attempt on Trump at a rally in Butler, Pa. (Isn’t strange that was less than two months ago, but we’re not hearing much as we normally world?) Of course, if Biden, Harris, Walz and especially Barack Obama had done such a thing, emergency rooms would’ve been bursting at the seams with crazy old Boomers suffering panic attacks, heart attacks scares or worries of strokes.
But the above-mentioned Democrats and even some not mentioned Republicans still have a modicum of respect for the deceased. Years ago, when I was still living in Georgia, they had the Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall near Atlanta for Memorial Day Weekend. I went with my father and stepmother. My father had lost a childhood friend. There’s a town east of Tulsa called Coweta that lost eight service members during Vietnam. That might not seem much but it is the most per capita of any American town/city.
When you go to the Wall, you realize that the names on the Wall were lives cut short. They were also families that were never the same again. There are women out there who lost the loves of their lives and never recovered. They were young men who had simple middle-America dreams of working in the factories with their friends, raising families that were all cut short at the young age of 18. They were just young kids who the government said had to go all across the world to stop a civil war that we helped start. My father may be a political conservative who went to work for the Georgia National Guard but he never agreed with the decision to get involved in Vietnam.
That’s why I can’t understand why any military service members would support Trump. When Bill Clinton was in office, people said it was disrespectful that he never served. When Obama was in office, people painted this picture of him as being totally disrespectful to the military because he saluted a Marine with a chai latte drink in his hands. Mind you that before “that sumbitch Reagan” got into office, no military ever saluted a President.
Of course, people forget that. They have to because it doesn’t fit their thinking. They have to paint one political party as the savior of the American military and the other as the devil incarnate that wants to use them as canon fodder. What President demanded a military parade for himself? What President called military “losers” and “suckers?”
We all know what angers people. It wasn’t that Obama saluted a Marine holding a drink in his hand. It’s that a black man is in a higher position than a white Marine. And I’m sure we’ll get this same behavior if Harris is elected President. Did Harris say that a Presidential Medal of Freedom award is more important than a Medal of Honor award? Of course not. She’s not stupid. She’s also not inconsiderate or insensitive.
Also, I will probably guess every Medal of Honor recipient (those that were alive when they received it) could name 10 people off the top of their head who they served with who they felt were more deserving. You give you life for a Medal of Honor. Or if you’re lucky, you only lose a limb or two or have hearing loss. Most Medal of Honor recipients have displayed more courage than “tough guy” conservative Senators like Josh Hawley and Markwayne Mullin who cowered and ran during the Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection coup attempt could ever understand.
On Friday, I was in Tahlequah and I saw a Boomer couple waving a Trump flag and signs criticizing Harris. If they could spend some of that energy and do something better for other people, that would be something. However, they decided to spend their time thinking they can encourage votes. If this was near the general election, I could understand. However, it wasn’t even September yet.
They’re more happy enabling disgrace because they probably like Trump because he hates the same people he hates. That’s what they want. They want to see people treated badly, which is totally disgraceful. An American President should represent everyone, not the people who are just loyal to him. Trump wants to be a king or a dictator. Harris and other Presidents have worked for people who would spit on them if given the chance free of any consequences.
What’s really messed up is the ANC official who was physically assaulted was put in the lose-lose situation of not pressing charges. They could. But conservatives and the Republican Party would’ve went after them. Yes, how dare someone who has been physically assaulted press charges? People are happily saying how they’re going to vote for Trump because he’s a felon. And as a I write this, there’s reports that people were trying to assault the media that was covering another rally in Pennsylvania.
I would argue the media stop covering these events. But I know some stupid managing/executive editor sitting in an office chair who hasn’t been out on an assignment in 15 years likes this because it’s good for their ratings and coverage.
Some people may not support all the bad things Trump says or does but they do realize that by supporting him, they’re enabling it. When I was growing up, they’d tell us to avoid trouble at all cost and that the one who drives the getaway car is still as guilty. Well, Trump supporters are either driving the car or they’re sticking up the clerk. Either way, they’re guilty.
What do you think? Please comment.
Zane Says 