Arlington-Smarlington . . . I Need a Vacation

Speaking for myself and from a position of relative ignorance – as most of us must with the way the MSM refuses to execute their due diligence as the Fourth Estate regarding Obama’s presidency – I am, at the same time, not surprised by and wholly disgusted with the president’s decision to opt out of the Memorial Day Wreath Laying Ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier so he can take yet another vacation. It will be his second vacation this month.

I remember when Vice President Cheney laid the wreath at the Tomb instead of President Bush. And maybe I’m not being fair to Obama, because I didn’t feel the same indignation then as now. He hasn’t cancelled the ceremony outright, after all, and he is sending Biden as his supernumerary. Then again, taking into account the characters of each Bush and Obama, maybe I’m not.

It’s not hard to imagine why members of the military hold little respect for the Commander in Chief. It’s also not hard to imagine why our socialist Commander in Chief holds the military in equally low regard. In short, they fight to preserve Americans’ liberties while he fights to restrict them. Essentially, they are opponents in a war over America’s perception around the world, future, and designs on the Constitution.

As a former Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, I can speak with some authority that anyone who ever showed blatant disrespect to the Unknown Soldiers was removed from Arlington Cemetery on the spot. This rarely happened though as 99.9% of all visitors of the Unknowns are nothing if not respectful and there to render honor. That our President would so dishonor our Unknown Soldiers by preferring a vacation instead of participating in the honor of remembrance is disgusting.

As a Tomb Guard, I waited four years for my turn to hold the wreath for the president during a Wreath Laying Ceremony – either on Memorial Day or Veterans Day. Traditionally, the senior guard was given this honor. Alas, my turn came and, because Bill Clinton was the (first black) president, I was not given the honor of this duty. Instead, the platoon sergeant at the time, who just so happened to be black, took my place. Clearly, I’m still upset over this jilting. The point, though, is that I knew just how big a deal it was to lay a wreath before the graves of these warriors who gave the ultimate sacrifice – their identities – for the sake of another’s liberty. I knew then the import of this event just as Barack Obama damn-well ought to now.

Anger and disgust aside, as I said, I’m not surprised. The political side of this makes perfect sense.

We have the global apology tour, the purposeful weakening of our free markets, constant demonizing of the idea of American Exceptionalism, handing over our national sovereignty to Interpol, treaties with Russia that weaken no one but America and her allies, the continual manipulation of American policies to become more and more agreeable with European Socialism, and much, much more. How, exactly, would Barack Obama look in the eyes of his global friends if he were to render honor unto three soldiers who will forever be immortalized for helping define and protect the very nation he seeks to tame? With Biden laying the wreath, he can chalk the whole ceremony up as yet another gaffe that even his global friends have learned to ignore.

Not many people realize it, but the Unknown Soldiers are America’s second most precious symbols. Only the American Flag ranks higher. As I see it, he is only one step away from showing equal disrespect to the American Flag itself.

Wait, he's already done that.

Let’s wait and see if President Obama plans another vacation on November 11th – Veterans Day – when he will be expected to lay another wreath in honor of the Unknown Soldiers.