Memorial Day--For Commemoration or Protest?
This Memorial Day, John Edwards is calling for Americans to voice their support for US soldiers and Marines AND their opposition to the Iraq War. Some say that this is inappropriate--that Memorial Day is a day for remembering those who have served/gave their lives for our country and should not be politicized by making it a day of protest. Edwards' point is that dissent is patriotic--perhaps the most patriotic thing we can do as Americans--and is, in and of itself, a way to honor our fallen soldiers. An article in Salon by Joe Conason (can't link to it since it's now in the archives and you need to register) posits that while Edwards has a valid point, it's above the heads of/too subtle for the average American. Instead, he will alienate many who see his initiative as an offensive political stunt. What say you?
posted by ze roberto @ 5/20/2007 07:48:00 PM
3 comments
3 Comments:
Sometimes manners and good taste also lie above the heads of those too disconnected from the "average American."
I don't wholly disagree with you. I understand Edwards' point about dissent being a form of patriotism. (Hell, I have a bumper sticker on my car that says as much.) And, it bothers me that the Bush administration and others in the Republican leadership have equated speaking out against the war as being un-American, unpatriotic, and not supportive of the troops. However, I believe that Memorial Day is not the occasion to make this point. It's almost like staging an anti-war protest at Arlington Cemetery. Memorial Day is a holiday to remember and honor those who gave their lives for our country. Edwards should not use it as a vehicle for a political stunt--even if Bush has done the same countless times before. The Dems need to be careful of this "well, they're doing it, so we'll do it too" attitude. Let's remember the mid-term elections and the major dissatisfaction in the Republican-led Congress it revealed. Methinks the GOP is not necessarily the role models the Dems should be patterning themselves after.
Amen. Memorial Day is about remembering and celebrating American heroes and their sacrifice. Sure, its a logical time to talk about war, good and bad, but that does not make it an appropriate day for protest.
And, of course, I completely agree with Rob's "bad role models" point as well. Let's not get down in that gutter.
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