By David A. Lien
Arlington National Cemetery is a solemn place everyone should visit at least once during their lives. To those who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces, there is perhaps no place more sacred. In On Hallowed Ground: The Story Of Arlington National Cemetery, Robert M. Poole calls Arlington “our nation’s most honored shrine.”
I’m always filled with a sense of awe and reverence upon entering its hallowed grounds. Prominent signs remind visitors to act accordingly.
“Welcome To Arlington National Cemetery. Our Nation’s Most Sacred Shrine. Please Conduct Yourself With Quiet Dignity And Respect At All Times. Remember These Are Hollowed Grounds.”
Unfortunately, “dignity” and “respect” are not words in Donald Trump’s vocabulary.
“Army officials criticized former President Donald Trump’s campaign staff for violating decorum rules at Arlington National Cemetery and abusing a cemetery worker,” Leo Shane III reported in the August 29 Military Times.
“Trump and his team opted to go ahead with photos and videos… despite the objections of Arlington staff and after having been made aware of ‘federal laws, Army regulations and DOD policies, which clearly prohibit political activities on cemetery grounds,’ the Army said. Federal law prohibits politicking at Army National Military Cemeteries, to include photography and video collection,” Leo Shane explained. “Shots of Trump smiling and giving a thumbs-up sign alongside service members’ tombstones were later used in campaign spots.”
Trump was then asked by a reporter, “Should your campaign have put out those videos and photos… on that hallowed ground should they have put out the images?” His response: “I don’t know who did it and it could have been,,, the parents.” The reporter replied, “It was your campaign’s TikTok… video.”
To that Trump said, “This was a setup by the people in the administration.” As usual, he takes no responsibility.
Trump is a demented demagogue who only cares about himself. Adding insult to injury, he refers to his own supporters as “basement dwellers.” Let’s honor the fallen heroes at Arlington and veterans across our great nation by voting appropriately on November 5.
David A. Lien of Colorado Springs, Colorado, is a former Air Force officer, author, and hunter. This op-ed is his personal opinion and not that of any other group or organization.