No Party Has a Monopoly on Patriotism
If you don’t tell a lie, my father used to say, you won’t have to worry about which version of your story you told last.
Right, I agreed, but, with an attitude like that, ol’ Dad was well advised to avoid going into politics.
That advice came to mind amid the unfolding saga of an unfortunate altercation at Arlington National Cemetery on Aug. 26. It seems a cemetery official tried to prevent members of former President Donald Trump's campaign staff from taking photos and video of Trump participating in a wreath-laying ceremony. Campaign staffers reportedly didn't like being told what to do and got a little aggressive in return.
The matter is still under investigation, but I know from experience that telling photographers where they can’t shoot is often heard as more of an invitation than a warning, and I’m trying to keep an open mind on the matter.
NPR reported on Aug. 27 that, according to a source with knowledge of the incident, "Arlington officials had made clear that only cemetery staff members would be authorized to take photographs or film in the area, known as Section 60." Trump staffers responded by verbally abusing and shoving the official.
In a statement to NPR on Wednesday about the incident, the cemetery stressed: “Federal law prohibits political campaign or election-related activities within Army National Military Cemeteries, to include photographers, content creators or any other persons attending for purposes, or in direct support of a partisan political candidate’s campaign.”
After reports of the incident surfaced, Trump's campaign spokesperson responded by implying that the Arlington official was mentally unstable and that the campaign was preparing to release video footage of the confrontation.
Yet the former president soon cast a cloud on the narrative by contradicting his own campaign with a post on his social network, Truth Social. It falsely called the confrontation a “made up story by Comrade Kamala and her misinformation squad,” using Trump’s latest nickname for his Democratic rival, presidential nominee Kamala Harris.
Trump also criticized Harris and President Joe Biden for not attending the private ceremony, although it is not clear that they had been invited.
Why, I am often asked, does the military make such a big deal over cameras in the historic cemetery grounds? Controversies like this one show the depth of the daunting task of protecting our national symbols from partisan exploitation.
NPR spoke with one regular visitor to Arlington, Allison Jaslow, an Iraq war veteran who leads the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America. Section 60, she said, is “a humbling reminder of how some of us were lucky enough to make it home.”
Indeed. As one who was drafted into the Vietnam War call-up but fortunately missed combat, I understand.
Unfortunately, humility got elbowed aside in the altercation between a cemetery staff member and officials of former president Donald Trump’s presidential campaign.
As much as some people or parties try to lay claim to the nation’s symbols, they belong to all Americans. We all need to protect them.
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(E-mail Clarence Page at cpage47@gmail.com.)
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