Are Tributes to Fallen Soldiers “Clutter”?

Nancy Pelosi doesn’t like “clutter” in her halls:

Some members of Congress have been told that they have to get rid of their tributes to fallen soldiers, because they are cluttering the halls.

Congressional Quarterly reports that a group of lawmakers — headed by Republican Congressman Walter Jones of North Carolina — is imploring House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to change a new policy that bars free-standing flags, furniture and easels because they are considered hazards.

Jones has easels outside his office depicting the faces of constituents killed in Iraq and Afghanistan. But, like many of his colleagues, he has been told that he must get rid of the display by August 2. Jones says, “We’re going to just have an ongoing contest of me putting them up and them taking them down.”

What can I say?  There are clearly two worldviews clashing in Congress, and two very different attitudes toward our fallen soldiers.

I have no doubt that dozens have been seriously injured dodging all those tributes in the halls.  Maybe Speaker Pelosi could spend the rest of her term in the relative safety of Iraq or Afghanistan where there isn’t so much hazardous “clutter”?

Personally, I’m firmly on the side of Republican Congressman Walter Jones in this dispute in wanting to honor our fallen heroes every way we can – and most definitely in NOT considering the tributes honoring them as “clutter.”

I hope you are, too.

Tags: clutter, fallen soldiers, honor, Nancy Pelosi, tributes, Walter Jones