Back at Arlington

by P.B. Rose, Staff Writer 

I was back at Arlington National Cemetary today.  Irish’s final grave marker had been placed.  There were more soldiers with her.  The trash/buttcan was still there.  Which is good. 

Irish was a chainsmoker and she would need that.  What she wouldn’t need to see was the small American flag that was lying in the trashcan portion.  My head is still spinning from this. 

I know Irish’s head is too.  Did anyone at the cemetary pay attention to the news articles and stories that made the headlines a couple of weeks ago? 

I guess not.  I am assuming(and you know what happens when you assume) that Facilities Maintenance at Arlington did this and if you didn’t  guys, I apologize.  I would hope that it was someone who didn’t know better. 

They didn’t know that the small American flag should have been destroyed not tossed in the trashcan as if it were no better than a piece of gum.  They didn’t know that every single body or cremains that are resting at this place died for that flag and all that it means.  They didn’t know that this one single act told this veteran that my service was a waste of time. 

I hope that it was done in error  by a grieving family member.   Every soldier at Arlington  died for this country. Every soldier at Arlington  died for the right for that flag to be burned in protest and,oddly enough, for that small American flag to be tossed into the trash. 

Alas, sadly I think that this is another statement on what America thinks of it’s soldiers and veterans.