Those infectious Legionnaires

Ask 20 people what the name "America Legion" calls to mind and you'll hear 20 answers. For some, it's the organization that sponsors high school essay contests. Others think of "Legionnaires Disease" ("We're the only veterans group to have a bacteria named after us," quipped one Legion leader last week.)

But over the past week in Salt Lake City, "American Legion" has called to mind the words "lightning rod." By choosing Salt Lake City for its convention and inviting President Bush and Condoleezza Rice to speak, the American Legion has tugged many of the city's smouldering passions to the surface. Rallies abound. There will be people demanding better immigration laws, people demanding America stay in Iraq and people demanding it leave. There will even be one group looking to blow the state of Israel to kingdom come. Some protesters will even be protesting the fact Mayor Rocky Anderson is protesting.

For an aging, rather easy-going group, the American Legion has brought the capital-city cauldron to a boil.

But then the Legion never has been milquetoast. And it keeps its eye on the big issues — issues like death, duty, honor, family, faith and country. To be a member of the American Legion, one must have served in the American military while the nation was at war. Such an organization doesn't attract shrinking violets and fence sitters. In fact, one suspects President Bush is in town this week to help Americans get a booster shot of patriotism. And the American Legion will give him what the doctor ordered.

Legionnaires bleed red, white and blue.

They stand on their chairs in concert halls when the band plays "Wild Blue Yonder," "Anchors Aweigh" and the "Marine Hymn."

They know the words to "God Bless America" by heart and — at age 80 — would still storm a machine gun nest in the name of liberty.

With the war effort slogging along and trouble brewing in several ports, the president, needless to say, would like to see that brand of "Legionnaire's Disease" become epidemic in the United States. He'd love to see the Legion's version of America get passed around.