Other blogs have discussed this, but I too would like to register my disgust.  Until Monday, I had no idea that every Memorial Day* the president sends a wreathe to the Confederate Monument.  And I just have to ask, What the Hell?

Memorial Day is a day to remember and celebrate those who died in service to our nation- the United States of America.  Not those who have declared war on our nation and killed American soldiers.  I am truly appalled by this tradition.  These are people who committed treason, who tried to destroy America, and who did it all just so that they could own other people.  I’m offended that there’s even a Confederate Memorial in Arlington Cemetery, but having the president recognize it is just going too far.

Obama was asked by many to stop this tradition, and I don’t understand why he wouldn’t.  There’s no political liability-no one who would be angry about slighting dead Confederates was going to support him anyway.  Instead of getting anyone mad at him, though, in addition to sending the wreath to the Confederate memorial, though, he also sent one to the African-American Civil War Memorial.

I applaud celebrating the African-American soldiers, but disagree with Digby that that was the best way to handle that controversy.  She says that this was “…Obama at his best.  Very clever.”  Personally, I’m so disgusted by celebrating Confederates that I can’t really see past that.  Unless the wreath said, “This came from the first black President.  Suck on that, bitches.”  I just don’t see the point.

*Apparently Woodrow Wilson started this tradition.  He’s the one who enjoyed showings of Birth of a Nation.  League of Nations notwithstanding, he’s becoming one of my less favorite presidents.