Some Trump-related controversies are real, complex, and potentially serious. Others are mindless, baseless pile-ons, such as the dumb controversy that erupted over the president's comportment at Arlington Cemetery on Memorial Day. Just look at this awful, boorish man, they sneer. He has no sense of honor or propriety, embarrassingly marring a solemn occasion with his juvenile conduct. Those awful conservatives yelled about Obama resting his feet on his desk, or saluting with a cup of coffee in his other hand, yet they're silent on this display. What hypocrisy! This tweet, for example, was shared and liked thousands of times:
This is Arlington. Not a rally. Just now. pic.twitter.com/Mz8CGJYUi0
— drstef (@drstef) May 29, 2017
How gauche and clueless of him -- belting out the anthem in that setting, right? Actually, no. Here's a longer video clip. Pay attention to the public address announcer at the very beginning:
"Ladies and gentlemen, please join the United States Air Force Band in singing our national anthem."
The crowd was invited to sing along, and the president did just that. For reference, earlier in the ceremony, Trump laid a wreath at the tomb of the unknown soldier and stood in respectful silence as the anthem played:
A phony controversy, through and through. Trump Derangement Syndrome seems to render a great many people incapable of picking battles, thinking critically, or maintaining healthy perspective.