Well do I remember my visit to Arlington National Cemetery and associated spots. I always found it a bit historically delicious that we took the grounds from a slave owner and the bride of America's most beloved insurrectionist.
The tour even allowed me to look into the room where Robert E. Lee made the historic decision to turn his back on the country that bred him, nourished him, employed him, and rewarded him. In a few weeks, I'll once again stand on the spot where he once ordered over 13,000 men to make an uphill assault against the United States Army in an effort to preserve slavery.
Back to Arlington and the cemetery. To stand before the burial site of John F. Kenned was moving. My most vivid memory, however, was when, while waiting for the tour to continue, I turned and saw the tombstone of Audie Murphy.
If you are under the age of 40, you may not recognize the name. He was just an ordinary man from an ordinary place in the state of Texas. When World War Two broke out, he sought to join the military and was denied admittance by some branches due to his size and age. The United States Army took him. The sent him to Europe where he became America's most decorated soldier of the war.
The medals he earned included the Congressional Medal of Honor. Yes, that's the one Donald Trump said wasn't as worthy as the civilian one he gave to a big political donor.
Yesterday, Donald J. Trump desecrated this consecrated spot for political purposes. His backers now defend the desecration.
On the day of my visit, the tour ended with a visit to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, perhaps the most sacred spot in America. The slightest indication of disrespect at this spot draws unimaginable castigation.
Does it bother me to think that Donald J. Trump is not above invading this holy place for a political op?
Yes, it bothers me a great deal, but it would not surprise me at all. I can seem him in my mind stopping the marching guard and turning him toward the cameras, a fake smile covering his orange face.
What bothers me more is that I know a score of people whom I once considered caring, respectful, and patriotic who would still vote for him if he did.
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