#D-Day Anniversary Ceremony

[world-of-wales]

The Prince of Wales with Queen Mathilde and King Philippe of Belgium at the International commemorative ceremony at Omaha Beach, marking the 80th anniversary of the World War II D-Day Allied Landings in Normandy, Saint-Laurent-sur-Mer in France || 6 JUNE 2024

[lilrainbowcloud]

Flower and Fates

Pairing: Luke Castellan x Reader

Genre: Barista x Florist AU

Word Count: 2.1k || masterlist

Warning: none

The sound of chiming bells from the collar of your cat, Festus, accompanied you as you made your way around your little flower shop with a spray bottle in hand. The soft purring he does as the fluffy ball of cloud jumped onto the windowsill and shoving his head under your hand made it difficult for you to attend to your plants causing you to giggle at his need for attention.

"Festus please! I'll play with you when I'm done here," even as you said that, the cat still wouldn't listen, jumping down now, he rubbed himself against your legs making it hard for you to move now without stumbling over him.

Setting the clear spray bottle on the flower stand, you put your hands on your waist as you looked down at your furry friend, "What is up with you today huh?" your annoyed expression changes to a soft one as you bend down to pick him up, how could you even stay mad at him when he's so cute. "You've never been this clingy before," walking to the main table, you sat down on the chair with Festus happyly snuggling on your lap, purring loudly by the gentle scratching on his head.

"This is an early break for me then," sighing as you looked at the clock on the wall, the time showed [11:47AM]. Today was one of the quieter days in your shop. Only having a couple came in hours before to pick their order for a ceremony, other than that later today you might get a few others. Speaking of orders, you remembered you had to continue the last few bouquets of an order for an anniversary today so the client can pick them up tomorrow but with Festus stopping you from doing your work, you just hoped that this cat would be over his episode soon.

A gentle tap on your shoulder almost startled you if the person who you saw by your side was one of a stranger, but he wasn't a stranger. It was Luke, the cute barista from the coffee shop next door who also happened to be your friend from the first day you had opened your shop and now it's been 3 months of your sweet friendship.

The lovely smile of his instantly got mirrored onto your own face, "Hi, Luke." Remembering that you were stroking your cat on your lap, looking down you saw that he was no longer there making you sigh in relief as you could finally stand up and stretch.

"Are you tired today, [Y/N]?" setting the paper bag filled with your usual pastries for lunch, which the freshly baked aroma was starting to seep through it, Luke pulled a chair closer with his foot to sit across from you, "I've never seen you sleep in the shop before. Also, it's very dangerous to when you're all alone in here someone could've just come in,"

Pulling your lips into a tight line humming to give you time to form an answer, you moved yourself closer to the table, your knees bumped his as you grabbed the paper bag with your name on it,”First of all, it was Festus' fault for not letting me water the flowers today because,” Turning your head to look for said cat, you saw that he was eating his food, unbothered, “someone is clingy today,” raising your voice in Festus’ direction, it made the curly haired boy laugh, amused by your relationship with your cat.

“What?” looking at the boy in front of you with a questioning expression, “It's true! I only got to water not even half of my precious flower babies,” lips pouting, you rolled your eyes at him as he continued to laugh, the melodious sound resonating through your quant shop made your heart flutter. A small smile appeared on your face at the thought of how you liked his laugh so much. Brushing your stray hair behind your ears, you then took out the still warm blueberry scone. Humming in satisfaction, eyes closed as the rich flavors filled your mouth.

“I'll help you water them later,” Calming himself down from his laughing fit, cheeks dusted with pink roses Luke sat up straight and took his own lunch, “Now eat up first.”

💐🥀🌷🌸🌻🌼

Mists of water droplets fell onto the rainbow petals of the flowers in your shop, continuing from the windowsill you paused earlier, the afternoon sun rays was beaming through the window and as Luke turned to ask you a question whether or not the section he was standing at had been watered or not, Luke could see the rays blanketed your figure with a soft golden halo. Reaching over your head to spray the hanging pots, once again the water mists fell around you like sparkles.

It was almost like a secret magical moment Luke was seeing. From the quiet and calm atmosphere, to the soft smile on your face as you took care of your plants and to the enchanting sight he just witnessed, if he didn't make friends with you since day one that you went over to his cafe for breakfast, Luke would've thought you were a fairy selling your magically grown flowers.

Captivated by you, Luke didn't even realize that you had moved away and was standing next to him until he heard your voice, “Hey, I think we're done here.” The same soft smile you gave to the flowers, you were showing it to him too. From the months he knew you, Luke had been observant towards your behavior as you didn't talk very much. Knowing by heart the smile you just gave him was one of that the adoring kind, does that mean-

Oh no, the growing feelings for you were sprouting yet another rose in his heart. Ever since he first thought you were such an endearing girl, the first ever bud grew. Every day he sees you as you opened your shop the same time as him, the little red rose was growing steadily. Day by day the petals were opening, until one day of you forming a friendly bond with him to the point of you being comfortable with each other, that was when all types of flowers were blooming in his heart.

The fear of admitting his feelings out loud made him suppress them, everyday he had been stomping on the delicate flowers so as to not ruin your innocent friendship. If you had seen the massacre he had done in his heart, he bet you would've fainted. But deep down he secretly wished that you would attend to his growing feelings just the same as you had attended to your beautiful flowers.

Sighing to himself, lips jutted out in a not so obvious pout to show his disappointment, Luke set down the spray bottle on the front table and followed you to the back room.

The backroom was your workroom where you prepare for orders, and Luke could see the assortments of flower arrangements on the table. Scanning his eyes through the room, he could see there were about a dozen white flower bouquets in a circular shape, the stalks were wrapped with brown paper with purple ribbons tied to them. On your wide work table, he could see the piles of flowers you used to make the order and right now you were cutting the stalk of a white carnation.

“How many of these do you still need to do?” Picking up a white rose, Luke brought it to his nose and inhaled the fragrance of the flower before twirling it with his fingers

“Hmmm, about four more then I'll have to put them in the boxes for them to pick up tomorrow morning.”

As you worked, Luke leaned himself over the table opposite of you, arms extended to support himself as he watched you staking the variety of white coloured flowers together effortlessly, making them blend in together so beautifully it amazed him by how fast you worked. In the next three minutes you were already covering the green stalks with the brown paper.

“Can you help?” Suddenly stopping as you held the paper's edge in place, you looked up at Luke who raised an eyebrow in question. “Can you please cut the ribbon and tie this for me?” Inclining your head towards the roll of purple ribbon and the scissors beside it.

Quick on his feet, Luke did as you said of cutting the ribbon, from the other times he had helped you to prepare orders from time to time, he knew the exact length to cut, even making the inward arrow head you always made at both ends. Standing beside you now, he wove the ribbon around the bouquet, swiftly moving the ribbon under your hold for you to let go and let him take over. As you were retracting your hands, your fingers brushed over Luke’s hands. Another blooming flower.

“Thank you,” Picking up the made bouquet, you walked to the others and set it down, the back of your fingers brushing the soft petals, “For lunch and for helping me today.” Facing him, you suddenly weren't able to meet his eyes.

As you stood there, feeling the warmth of Luke's presence beside you, you couldn't shake the fluttering feeling in your chest. His kindness and helpfulness never failed to make your heart skip a beat, and today was no exception.

"Of course, [Y/N]," Luke replied with a gentle smile, his eyes soft as he looked at you. "I'm always happy to help, especially when it means spending time with you."

You felt a blush creeping onto your cheeks at his words, but you managed to muster a grateful smile in return. "Well, I appreciate it more than you know," you said softly, tucking a loose strand of hair behind your ear out of habit.

There was a moment of silence between you, filled only with the sound of your own racing heartbeat. You knew you had to say something, to express the feelings that had been growing inside you for months now. But the words caught in your throat, and you found yourself unable to speak.

Just as you were about to give up and retreat into your own thoughts, Festus, your ever-mischievous cat, suddenly darted into the room, his collar jingling with every step. He leaped onto the table, causing a few stray petals to flutter to the ground, and nuzzled his head against your hand affectionately.

You couldn't help but laugh at his antics, grateful for the distraction. But as you glanced up at Luke, you caught a glimpse of something in his eyes—a longing, a vulnerability that mirrored your own.

In that moment, something clicked inside you. You realized that maybe, just maybe, you weren't alone in this after all. Maybe Luke felt the same way you did, but was too afraid to admit it.

Summoning up all your courage, you took a deep breath and met Luke's gaze head-on. "Hey, Luke," you began, your voice barely above a whisper. "I was wondering... um, would you maybe want to go out for dinner sometime? Just the two of us?"

The words hung in the air between you, heavy with anticipation. You held your breath, waiting for his response, unsure of what to expect.

Luke's eyes widened in surprise, and for a moment, you feared you had overstepped. But then, a slow smile spread across his face, lighting up his features in a way that made your heart skip a beat.

"I'd love to," he said softly, his voice filled with warmth. "I've been wanting to ask you the same thing, actually."

Relief flooded through you, followed by a rush of excitement. Maybe, just maybe, this could be the start of something wonderful.

But as you exchanged smiles and made plans for your dinner date, neither of you noticed the knowing glint in Festus's eyes. After all, he had his own secrets to keep—the biggest one being that he wasn't just an ordinary cat, but a Cynocephalus, a mythical creature with a knack for bringing people together.

With a satisfied purr, Festus slipped out of the shop and disappeared into the twilight, his mission accomplished. And as he vanished into the shadows, a faint shimmer of magic lingered in the air, a silent testament to the power of love and the mysterious ways of the gods.

As you and Luke walked hand in hand into the evening, the world seemed to sparkle with newfound enchantment, and you couldn't help but feel grateful for the unexpected twist of fate that had brought you together. Little did you know, your journey was only just beginning, filled with magic, adventure, and the boundless possibilities of love.

[theroyalsandi]

British Royal Family - The Prince of Wales arrives for the Government of Canada ceremony to mark the 80th anniversary of D-Day, at Juno Beach in Courseulles-sur-Mer, France. (Photo by Jordan Pettitt) | June 6, 2024

[thewales-family]

The Prince of Wales, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal attend the Government of Canada ceremony to mark the 80th anniversary of D-Day, at Juno Beach in Courseulles-sur-Mer, France -June 6th 2024.

[thiziri]

Princess Anne meeting with veterans as she attends a ceremony to mark the 80th anniversary of D-Day, at Bayeux War cemetery, on 05 June 2024.

[ateez-himari]

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[therealslimshakespeare]

Marcella Ryan LeBeau is a member of the Two Kettle Band of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe and lives in Eagle Butte, South Dakota. Her Lakota name is Wigmuke Waste Win (Pretty Rainbow Woman) Her great-grandfather, Chief Joseph Four Bear (Mato Topa), signed the Fort Laramie Treaty in 1868. Her grandmother, Louise Bear Face, was related to Rain In The Face who took part in the Battle of the Little Horn.

Marcella served as a nurse in WWII becoming a 1 st Lieutenant in the Army Nurse Corps. The army service took her from the USA to Wales, England, France, and Belgium. Since receiving the French Legion of Honor Award on June 6, 2004, in Paris France, on the occasion of the 60th Anniversary of D-Day, Marcella has been requested to participate at many Veterans’ events, speaking of her military experience in World War II. Marcella served one term as District 5 council representative for the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe. She is also honored to speak to the youth at elementary, high school, and college venues when she is invited.

In 1992 and 1995 Marcella and her son, Richard went to Glasgow, Scotland with interest in the return of the Ghost Dance Shirt that was taken from Wounded Knee in 1890. After negotiations, the ghost shirt was returned by the Kelvin Grove Museum. George Craeger, with the Buffalo Bill Wild West Show, sold some artifacts to the museum and donated a Ghost Shirt. It’s now held at the Heritage Cultural Center at the South Dakota Historical Society in Pierre, South Dakota.

After retiring as the Director of Nursing from the Indian Health Service in Eagle Butte, Marcella, and her granddaughter, Bonnie opened a machine quilting shop located in Eagle Butte. They make a variety of quilts. The main feature of their shop is the star quilt frequently used by the Lakota people for honoring and naming ceremonies, memorial give-aways, etc. which are traditional of this area’s native people.

Marcella having raised a family of eight children is an advocate for the Lakota language and culture, youth, veterans, elderly, upholding treaties, and wellness.

Credit: text & photos from wisdomoftheelders.org

[toaarcan]

Rishi Sunak and the D-Day Disaster

Babes wake up, Rishi Sunak did a fuckup again!

Hokay, so, at time of writing, yesterday was the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings during World War II. This is a big deal for a lot of reasons, D-Day is one of the most significant events in the largest and most destructive war humanity ever fought, and this is likely to be the last major anniversary that the surviving veterans will be alive and well enough to attend.

Political leaders from the world over made their way to the Normandy beaches for a commemoration. Biden, Trudeau, Macron, Scholz, and Zelenskyy were present. Keir Starmer was there, as were King Prince Charles and Prince William, but the UK government proper was represented by Rishi Sunak and David Hameron.

Until suddenly it wasn't!

Let's run down everything (that I'm aware of) that went wrong!

As part of the British event, army paratroopers landed on the beach... and then had to reconvene in a tent to get their credentials checked by the French authorities. Because Brexit happened and we don't have free movement any more! Pro-Brexit nimrods have, predictably, complained about getting exactly what they voted for.

Once each nation's part of the proceedings were done, they were to reconvene at Omaha Beach for an International commemoration. Speeches, medals being awarded, that sort of thing. Except... Rishi Sunak was not present.

No, see, Rishi "The Least Elected PM Ever" Sunak had stayed until the end of the British event and then promptly fucked off back to England, snubbing the leaders of America, France, Canada, Germany, and Ukraine and leaving everything in the hands of the Hameron, his also-unelected foreign secretary that last rubbed shoulders with any International politicians when he was fucking everything up in 2016. Also, in the hands of his main rival, Starmer (Okay calling Starmer and Sunak rivals is a bit unfair, it implies Sunak has a snowball's chance in hell, which he does not).

Naturally, people were pretty fuckin' steamed about this, and put Rishi on blast for showing enormous disrespect to... literally everyone involved. Especially since this is right on the heels of Sunak proposing that they bring back National Service to "fill young British people with loyalty and honour."

Don't worry it gets worse.

Naturally, there are a lot of journalists with cameras present, and this means that we get to see images like these:

Image Description: Left to right, David Cameron, Emmanuel Macron, Olaf Scholz, and Joe Biden, standing in front of a partially cloud blue sky. Macron, Scholz, and Biden are lit by the sun, while Cameron appears to be in the shade.

Image Description: Keir Starmer sits, centrally-framed, among D-Day veterans in ceremonial dress uniforms. To the right of the frame sits Emmanuel Macron.

Image Description: Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Keir Starmer talking, with a photojournalist in the background aiming his camera at them. Both are smiling.

Quote Pippa Crerar, writing for the Guardian (You may remember her from that time she blew the lid off of Partygate!), Starmer is "already looking like a Prime Minister."

So this is really, really bad for Rishi. Britain has been keen to support Ukraine lately, and we've actually shipped a supply of our Challenger 2 tanks over to them for their use. The impact from this hasn't been as massive as you'd hope, largely because the British military has been absolutely gutted under the Tories, for reasons that I'm sure had absolutely nothing to do with all the financial support David Cameron got from Russians, but Britain has been trying to help.

Boris Johnson in particular liked to really stress the Ukraine point whenever he was losing control of the narrative, essentially making Ukraine's plight and his support for them a shield from criticism. And now, here's the leader of the opposition being photographed in a positive light with Zelenskyy. The optics are incredibly bad for Rishi.

But surely, Rishi had a reason why he had to zip back to British soil post haste? Maybe an emergency that he had to resolve?

No, he needed to record an interview with ITV, for his election campaign. That was it.

Well, interviews in election cycles become outdated pretty quickly. Normally a few days is enough to render them outdated. It must've been pretty urgent.

No, the interview is scheduled for release in six days' time.

That's an eternity in election season. There's a high chance that more than half of its content will be void by the time it airs.

As a reminder, we are four weeks from the big day. In fact, yesterday was exactly four weeks before election night. Time is very short.

Well, maybe this was the only time they could fit him in?

Nope, Paul Brand of ITV has confirmed that this was the date and time Rishi wanted, and they could've moved it to prevent scheduling conflicts!

So, how did a fuckup on such a grand magnitude happen? How did Rishi manage to create a clash between the 80th anniversary commemoration of an event with a specific date (6th June, 1944 is not hard to remember, my guy!) and the election that he called? Well that's very simple! He didn't want to be there at all.

Yes, it seems that Rishi had already told the French government a week ago that he wouldn't be attending at all. Someone seems to have convinced him that skipping the event entirely was a bad idea, but not enough for him to actually commit to it.

Image Description: A block of text reading "The French government was told a week ago that Rishi Sunak would not attend the D-Day 80th commemoration, Tory sources have confirmed. The message to Paris from his team was that he would be too busy campaigning in the general election to make the trip. The decision was reversed, and a short visit was the compromise, but it is extraordinary that an attendance by a Conservative PM, or any PM, was ever in doubt."

Rishi has denied this, however, so the whether it's true or Sunak has elected to not lie for once, well, that remains to be seen.

Quote John Healey, Labour's defence spokesperson, “Given that the prime minister has been campaigning on the idea young people should complete a year’s national service, what does it say that he appears to have been unable to complete a single afternoon of it?”

Conservative commentator Tim Montgomery called it "political malpractice."

And so, after thumbing his nose at half the world in order to pursue an already-foundering election campaign, Rishi Sunak decided that he needed to apologise. Via tweet.

It's been a very bad day for Rishi Sunak.

[world-of-wales]

The Prince of Wales arrives at the International commemorative ceremony at Omaha Beach, marking the 80th anniversary of the World War II D-Day Allied in Normandy, Saint-Laurent-sur-Mer in France || 6 JUNE 2024

[lonestarbattleship]

July 10, 2024 Update from the Battleship Texas Foundation

"BATTLESHIP TEXAS UPDATE

Battleship Texas in Galveston, Texas, undergoing repairs.

The ship is currently moored at Pier D in Gulf Copper Shipyard where it will continue to undergo repairs and preparations to become a museum ship once again.

Navy Blue 5-N has been applied to the forward sections of the ship.

STEEL DECK REPAIRS: The ship’s steel deck has been sandblasted and primed while repairs are ongoing.

Looking down on the bow of Battleship Texas. Steel deck repairs are ongoing while workers prepare the area for a new pine deck.

Comparison of Navy Blue 5-N (top) and Deck Blue 20-B (bottom). The ship's pine deck will be painted Deck Blue 20-B.

The ship is being painted Navy Blue 5-N.

PINE DECK REPAIRS: Workers have already begun fitting the margin planks to the ship’s deck. These planks are cut to length, fitted to the area of the deck they are going, and primed.

New deck studs (for holding the deck planking down) is being installed on the ship's bow.

A fresh coat of Navy Blue 5-N has been applied around the ship's superstructure deck and signal bridge.

Pictured is the Signal Records Room.

Pictured is the Navigation Office.

For more history on the deck of Battleship Texas visit: link

MAIN MAST: The ship's main mast continues to be blasted and primed following repairs. The radar top mast, along with its SG and SK, will be reinstalled.

The ship's main mast is being sandblasted and primed before a coat of Navy Blue 5-N is applied.

IFF antennas await installation on both the fore and main masts.

The ship's main mast is being sandblasted and primed before a coat of Navy Blue 5-N is applied.

The ship's main mast is being sandblasted and primed before a coat of Navy Blue 5-N is applied.

BARREL STORAGE TUBES: Storage tubes that once held spare barrels for the ship’s 20mm anti-aircraft guns have been fabricated and reinstalled. Not every tube will be installed at this time, but it is one more step to presenting the ship in its 1945 appearance.

FLOATER NET BASKETS: Several floater net baskets have been added in a few areas aboard. These baskets held nets which were designed to free float if a ship were to sink and provide sailors something to hold on to until they were rescued.

Antenna mounts have been fabricated and installed. Small details like these help bring the ship back into its 1945 appearance.

Ladders are being installed into the correct positions on a clipping room. Small details like these help bring the ship back into its 1945 appearance.

UPCOMING EVENTS:

July 20, 2024 - Join us for a ceremony to welcome the return of the Battleship Texas steel that was flown over France during the 80th Anniversary of D-Day! The Battleship Texas Foundation would like to welcome you to join us on this special occasion. For more information visit: battleshiptexas.org/return-ceremony

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

WHAT’S NEXT? - Battleship Texas will remain at Gulf Copper Shipyard while the ship’s new home in Galveston, Texas, is prepared. Additional steel work, replacement of the ship’s deck, further restoration, and painting will be done during this time.

Structural repairs are being made to the ship's cranes.

Brackets are installed which will hold the ship's siren and whistle. Both will be made to work again.

Workers lift parts of the ship's siren for a test fit of the newly installed brackets.

The ship's siren is being fitted to the smokestack.

TOURING? - The Battleship Texas Foundation will be offering touring options while the ship is in the shipyard. Participants will be able to view ongoing work and restoration or learn all about how the ship operated during its service career. An announcement will be made once touring options become available.

Looking forward from underneath the main mast aboard Battleship Texas.

REOPENING? - There is a lot to be done before the ship is ready for touring at its new home in Galveston, Texas. Reopening is projected to happen in the later half of 2025.

MISSING GUNS? - The ship's anti-aircraft guns are currently undergoing restoration. The guns and gun directors will be replaced once their restoration is complete.

Come on Texas!

To donate to the preservation and operation of Battleship Texas, please visit: battleshiptexas.org/

Support Battleship Texas by making a purchase through the ship's store: https://store.battleshiptexas.org"

Posted on the Battleship Texas Foundation Facebook page: link

[posttexasstressdisorder]

Why Trump’s Arlington controversy is actually a crime

John Stoehr

August 30, 2024 5:49AM ET

Sgt. Phillip J. Reddick plays taps in honor of Staff Sgt. Darryl D. Booker and Col. Paul M. Kelly Nov. 16, 2013, at their Arlington National Cemetery grave sites (Photo by Virginia Guard Public Affairs)

It’s not a controversy. It’s a crime.

If we don’t say so, we’re complicit.

National Public Radio reported Tuesday that two officials from the Donald Trump campaign assaulted a staff member at Arlington National Cemetery. The staffer tried stopping the former president from filming a campaign advertisment in Section 60. That section is reserved for the men and women who died fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan. It’s considered by many Americans to be sacred ground.

Trump was at Arlington Monday for an event marking the third anniversary of an attack on US military forces as they withdrew from Afghanistan. An emerging theme of his presidential campaign is blaming Joe Biden and Kamala Harris for the 13 Marines who were killed that day by an ISIS suicide bomber outside Kabul Airport.

Later, at the behest of two Gold Star families, Trump attended a separate, private ceremony in Section 60 at the headstones of Marine Staff Sgt. Taylor Hoover and Marine Sgt. Nicole Gee. That’s when the “altercation” occurred. “When entering Section 60, campaign staff verbally abused and pushed the official aside,” according to NPR.

Assault is a crime, but the criming didn’t stop there.

ALSO READ: Trump campaign targets secretary of the Army in its latest attack over Arlington scandal

According to Arlington National Cemetery, it’s against federal law to make campaign advertisements in Section 60. In other words, it’s illegal to turn the honored war dead into disposable partisan props. Put another way, profaning their memory and sacrifice is punishable by law. In a statement to NPR, Arlington National Cemetery said:

“Federal law prohibits political campaign or election-related activities within Army National Military Cemeteries, to include photographers, content creators or any other persons attending for purposes, or in direct support of a partisan political candidate's campaign.”

In the same statement, Arlington National Cemetery said it “reinforced and widely shared this law and its prohibitions with all participants.”

Compounding the offense is the Trump campaign’s reaction.

Spokesman Stephen Cheung accused the cemetery staffer who was trying to uphold federal law of physically blocking “members of President Trump's team during a very solemn ceremony,” even saying the staffer was “clearly suffering from a mental health episode.” Another campaign official called the staffer “a despicable individual.”

Compounding matters more is the treatment of the Gold Star families.

They chose to invite Trump to the memorial, but did they also choose to be complicit in a federal crime? Did the Trump campaign inform them of the law, as Arlington had informed the Trump campaign?

According to Arlington National Cemetery, it informed “all participants.” Were the families led to believe they were merely helping a candidate whom they clearly support? Or were they led to believe law-breaking was fine and dandy as long as they were with Trump?

It gets worse.

The Trump campaign appears to have induced these Gold Star families into issuing a press release in which they thanked Trump and said they authorized his videographer to take photos and video at the ceremony.

There are two problems: One is that permission wasn’t theirs to give. Two is that there’s another headstone in the campaign photo (above). Army Master Sgt. Andrew Marckesano, a Green Beret and a Silver Star recipient who served six tours in Afghanistan, is buried next to Hoover. According to reports, his family wasn’t asked for permission.

So not only do these Gold Star families appear complicit in breaking federal law, they appear complicit in gravely offending another Gold Star family whose child loved his country as much as theirs did.

And by inducing these families into issuing their press release, he involved them indirectly in a cover-up of the original crime.

It gets even worse.

The Timesreported that the cemetery staffer who was assaulted for trying, under law, to stop the Trump campaign has decided not to press charges. Why? According to military authorities, the Timessaid, it’s because “she feared Mr. Trump’s supporters pursuing retaliation.”

In other words, she feared political violence.

So, thanks to Trump’s corruption, these Gold Star families now appear complicit in: breaking federal law; gravely offending another Gold Star family; covering up the original crime; and demonstrating the role of political violence in the wholesale degradation of individual liberty and the rule of law.

Their kids died fighting terrorism and terrorism won.

But they are not the only ones complicit.

So are we – if we don’t stand by what we say.

Arlington National Cemetery is operated by the United States Army. It is not a civilian bureaucracy run by a partisan appointee. There’s no “deep state” here. These are people with the deepest feeling imaginable for fidelity and respect. If anything, they’re Trumpsupporters. Yet loyalty to him didn’t override loyalty to the fallen. The obligation to their memory compelled them to oppose Trump’s desecration of it.

If we believe what we say about Arlington National Cemetery, and I think most of us do, there should be no debate over Monday’s events. There should not be “both sides.” This should not be a story about what Trump said versus what Arlington National Cemetery said. The question: shouldn’t be what happened? It should be: who do we believe?

Do we believe Trump, a draftdodger who thinks volunteers for military service are “suckers” and “losers”; who thinks soldiers maimed in combat are embarrassing; who said prisoners of war are unworthy of reverence; who insulted recipients of the Congressional Medal of Honor; and who, just yesterday, released an ad using the honored war dead as a disposable campaign prop to attack his opponent?

Or do we believe those trying to keep sacred ground sacred?

As I’m writing, the Post reported that the Army stands by the cemetery staffer who tried stopping the Trump campaign’s criming. The rest of us should stand by her, too. If we believe what we say about Arlington — and our values – there’s no question about what happened.

It’s not a controversy. It’s a crime.

We should say so.

[theroyalsandi]

British Royal Family - The Prince of Wales (L) is greeted by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau ahead of the Government of Canada ceremony to mark the 80th anniversary of D-Day, at Juno Beach in Courseulles-sur-Mer, France. (Photo by Jordan Pettitt) | June 6, 2024

[thewales-family]

The Prince of Wales attends the Government of Canada ceremony to mark the 80th anniversary of D-Day, at Juno Beach in Courseulles-sur-Mer, France -June 6th 2024.

[charlotte-of-wales]

Crown Prince Haakon, King Willem-Alexander, Queen Máxima, King Philippe, Queen Mathilde, Grand Duke Henri and Prince Albert attend the commemorative ceremony marking the 80th anniversary of "D-Day" Allied landings in Normandy | June 6, 2024