Vietnam vets tear apart Trump in court over 'disrespectful' DC arch
Alternet • • nation
Key Points:
- The U.S. Commission on Fine Arts approved President Donald Trump's proposed "triumphal arch" for Arlington, Virginia, near Arlington National Cemetery, sparking opposition from Vietnam War veterans.
- Veterans Shaun Byrnes and Jon Gundersen filed a lawsuit in February to prevent the arch's construction, arguing the project was rushed and lacked proper congressional approval.
- Opponents claim the arch would disrupt the symbolic sightline between the Lincoln Memorial and the Robert E. Lee Memorial, which represents unity after the Civil War, and note the arch would be over twice the height of the Lincoln Memorial.
- Gundersen and Byrnes view the arch as disrespectful to veterans buried at Arlington and see it as a monument to Trump rather than a celebration of America's 250th anniversary.
- They express concerns about authoritarian symbolism and the influence of private donations in monument building, emphasizing their loyalty to the country and commitment to opposing the project.