Posted on 01/28/2009 11:13:11 AM PST by SERKIT
(CNN) -- An Ohio man who was suspended as the drum major of a band for giving President Obama a nod during last week's inaugural parade is calling it quits. John Coleman resigned from the Cleveland Firefighters Memorial Pipes & Drums a week after the parade in Washington. Publicity about his suspension had gotten to be too much, he told CNN affiliate WEWS.
"It's come to a point where I don't want embarrassment anymore between the pipe band and myself," Coleman, who is a firefighter, told WEWS on Tuesday.
Coleman was seen during the nationally televised January 20 parade nodding toward the new president while marching with the band. A few steps later, he appeared to wave briefly.
He told WEWS that as the band was marching past the grandstand where Obama was sitting, he made eye contact with the president.
"Contact was made with our eyes both together and he smiled and waved at the band," he told the station. "And just as a gesture, I nodded my head. I gave him a slight wave and went on."
(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...
So you are standing outside of Buckingham Palace, in full regalia doing your guard duty. You acknowledge no one as thousands a people a year make silly faces at you and try to get you to change your facial expression. Because on that day, that is your job.
The Queen’s carriage stops in front of you and the Queen, feeling a tad randy tosses you a wave and a wink. You wink back and take a couple of fingers off the rifle and give a little hand genture.
My bet is before the week is out, you are serving eels and mash somewhere, wishing you kept your eyes front and your mouth shut.
Guy blew protocol. Should have ignored the tingle running up his leg.
What is the difference between what he did and what small unit leaders do everyday in the Marine Corps? When a unit marches past a senior officer, the unit leader will salute the officer on behalf of his unit, and offer a crisp "Good morning, sir." It is polite and correct, no matter what the unit leader might think about the officer on a personal level.
I cannot imagine how anyone would object to what he did. The drum major has my respect for doing the right thing -- no matter what others think and no matter what the cost. After all, isn't that the essence of character?
I dig it. I wasn’t being sarcastic. When I see the “Colonel, USAFR” I know it’s going to be a reasoned and logical comment. Sometimes I think I’m the only reasonable person in the room, that’s why I come to FR to verify that I’m not crazy and to read comments from folks that are more knowledgeable than myself. Reason and logic rarely win FRiends, but here I can always count on it being heard at least.
If I'm a member of the Household Division then the Queen is my CO and if she wants to wave at me expecting a response then I'd be well-advised to give her a response lest I'd prefer to be stationed on South Georgia Island for the rest of my enlistment.
True. And I've never stood on the way of a bad officer who is determined to make a fatal (to their career, at least) mistake. (-:
If the Queen addresses a soldier, he’d damned well better answer her. In fact, the Windsors are noted (and appreciated) for personally acknowledging the soldiers who protect them — much like the gracious Bushes have always done. A polite “Yes, m’am” and a subdued smile is a routine and proper response — and I would pity any one of the Queen’s officers who dared to punish a lad for returning her greeting.
"A good drummer is better than no drummer at all" -- Chet Baker
What’s wrong with him nodding to Obama? I don’t see anything wrong with that.
Just an example of how the LibDems (IAFF) can eat their own. I say “MORE COW BELL!!!!!”
...one of my “rules to live by” is, “if you’re gonna do something stupid, check where the cameras are first.” I’ve told my girls that their heritage dooms them to never getting away with anything, so they should conduct themselves accordingly.
Colonel, USAFR
What’s Rush’s rule? “We won’t ever make a fool of you, but if you’re in the middle of it, we will certainly get out of the way and let you!” It’s always nicer when they take themselves out...
Colonel, USAFR
I appreciate that. I also appreciate being called on it when I say something stupid. Well, maybe “appreciate” is too strong a word...
Colonel, USAFR
What’s wrong with being rude to that evil ba$tard?
Good grief! Only an abject nitwit could think that there is anything that could be considered as being "rude" to that egocentric, arrogant, marxist scum!
How dare a serf look his "god" in the eye. Off with the serfs head!
{/sarcasm}
You didn’t get to be a Colonel by not being right most of the time. Thank you for your service. If I see a flaw in your logic, you’ll know (respectfully of course).
I can't argue with that personally, but 'rude' is how it would be reported in the media. "White guy disses Obama"
Sounds like a good rule of thumb.
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