On a day the United States sets aside to honor those who gave the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our great country, some have chosen to exhibit ultimate shame.

Shame on John Edwards. Shame on USA Today. Shame on the New York Times. Shame on the Houston Chronicle. Shame on the North County Times. And shame on any that I missed in my daily reading of editorial pages.

Instead of taking time to pause and remember the 657,524 U.S. service members who died in battle since the start of the Revolutionary War, they took today as an opportunity to make an argument they can, and do, make every other day of the year

Memorial Day is not about Iraq, the growing disgust for the war or making political points. No. Today is about remembering, and thanking, those who died in uniform. Period.

You do nothing to honor their memories by using their day to score points against President Bush. All you do with your masturbatory preaching is make yourself feel good by trampling on the graves of those who gave their lives so you can get off.

Save it for tomorrow. Today, get over yourself and say thanks.

Perhaps the papers were looking for a new spin on Memorial Day editorials, wanting to avoid the typical “jingoism” of such days and make them meaningful for those reading during war. But all they did was restate what they’ve been saying for months — hardly anything “new.”

Want a new take? Check out the Baltimore Sun’s two editorials today. Or the Orange County Register, which reminded folks that in 2000 Congress established a national moment of silence at 3 p.m. Or the Sacramento Bee, which used a local story to launch its remembrance.

And John Edwards? The Bret Girl couldn’t be more of a panderer, asking Americans to actually protest today instead of visiting a national cemetery and placing flags.

The purpose of Memorial Day is to stop and pay homage. Unfortunately, some forgot the point and took it as an opportunity to continue political bickering.

That’s the ultimate in shame.

(Arlington National Cemetery photo by U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Jim Varhegyi.)