John Edwards Poor Choice of Days

For quite a while, I've had a begrudging respect for Senator John Edwards even though he is a Democrat. I relate to his growing up in the lower middle class. I admired the fact that he got where he was through his own efforts. Even during the 2004 Vice-Presidential debates, the soft-spoken South Carolinian seemed to have a grasp of what it is like to be a common man in America.

My respect for Senator Edwards has fallen, however, by his plan to stage anti-war protests across the country this Memorial Day.

I am not criticizing Senator Edwards right to protest, in fact, I encourage it. It's his right to do so under the First Amendment of the Constitution. What I do find fault with is the Senator's poor choice of days.

Memorial Day is a day when we are to remember those who have fallen in battle while defending our great nation. Although I believe Senator Edward's respect for veterans is true, it is with my deepest regret and sorrow that he chooses a day to remember veterans to make a political statement about the war in Iraq.

As much as Senator Edwards states that we should 'support the troops, not the war' I know, deep in my heart, that not everyone feels this way and that the rally will only end up as an ugly display and as a golden opportunity for those of the radical left to mock those who wear a uniform.

As a whole, I believe that the vast majority of Americans look favorably upon the men and women who serve in the Armed Forces. Still, there is that very loud minority who do not like soldiers and who take every opportunity afforded them to stir up dissent and to spout hatred towards servicemen.

I now believe that the slogan, "support the troops, not the war" is a false statement for you cannot do both. It is like cheering for your home team at the Superbowl all the while secretly rooting for the visiting team to win. It is therefore impossible to support the troops without supporting the war.

The radical left is going to take over and use this rally to shout out their ridiculous and unwarranted hatred of the military. Because of this, I wish that Senator Edwards would choose a different day to make his statement. Already there has been one burning of a US soldier in effigy in Oregon. How long will it be before returning soldiers are spit on again just like their Viet Nam predecessors? Or are attacked in airports? There are too many leftist radical who yearn for a return to those days of Viet Nam protests.

As a letter written by a young woman named Serai1 to the editor of Salon.com states: " are you seriously suggesting that people shouldn't protest on Memorial Day because it isn't polite?? In case you haven't noticed, this entire WAR isn't polite. War is filthy, nasty and obscene - what makes you think being polite about protesting is going to do a damn thing to make it stop?
And Memorial Day being "sacred"? Oh, give me a break. Armistice Day was sacred. Memorial Day (weekend - nobody celebrates the holiday anymore) is, for the vast majority of people, the first three-day weekend of the summer, and the weekend when the first big summer blockbusters hit the theaters. Most people have no idea what it is that's being memorialized, even."

This is the sentiment expressed by many on the side of the radical left; the side made up of crazy new agers, ultra-liberals, socialists, anarchists and just plain troublemakers.

I know that Senator Edwards only wants to honor veterans, or, at least, thinks he does, but this isn't the way to do it and his choice of day to hold his rally is an extreme poor one that has cost him my respect.