Thu Sep 12 13:00:00 UTC 2024: ## Arlington Cemetery Used as Political Stage Outrages Gold Star Family
**COLUMBUS, OHIO** – Scott W. Patton, a Gold Star family member and combat veteran, has expressed outrage over the use of Arlington National Cemetery as a backdrop for a recent political event. Patton, whose brother Sgt. Maj. Jerry Patton is buried in Section 60 of the cemetery, argues that the hallowed grounds are not a campaign trail.
Patton, who has observed Memorial Day at Arlington for the past 16 years, emphasizes the sacred nature of the cemetery, which honors those who sacrificed their lives for the freedoms enshrined in the Constitution. He recounts the stories of his brother Jerry, as well as his friends Anthony and Jeremy, both Special Forces soldiers killed in service.
“Every year, I visit their graves in Section 60 to reflect on their sacrifices,” Patton states. “Their graves are not a campaign trail.”
He criticizes the recent altercation and campaign event at Arlington as a dishonor to the republic and the heroes who protect the nation. “Gold Star families, service members and veterans have learned about this incident, and many are asking: Is this honorable?”
Patton highlights the shared history of his family, with his great-grandfather fighting in World War I and his sons serving in World War II. He emphasizes that Gold Star families come from all walks of life and have the right to invite anyone they choose to a private, nonpolitical ceremony at their loved ones’ graves. However, he firmly condemns the use of Arlington as a political prop.
“The use of Arlington as a political prop by any candidate is despicable,” Patton concludes. “It breaches tradition and, for me, is a personal infringement on my family’s privacy because my brother’s grave is not on the campaign trail.”
First Piper 