Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Ya just gotta tell some people everything...

Because decorum and respect are becoming bygone concepts these days.



I have been at The Tomb many times and I have witnessed this sort of crass behavior from loud-mouthed louts camera-festooned morons. Sadly, it's all too common, and it's on the INCREASE per the Tomb Guards that I have had the honor of speaking with.

12 comments:

  1. How far are the Tomb Guards allowed to go to maintain decorum? Can't imagine them shooting someone for refusing to stand, or even laying someone out with a blow from the rifle butt.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous8:51 AM

    Sickening!

    gfa

    ReplyDelete
  3. @ Bob: Not sure, and don't think I'd want to find out. Those reprimands are much more impressive in person and I've seen a couple of people get them first-hand. It makes an impression, and the rest of the crowd tends to take issue with the offender as well. Come the worst case, there are military police officers nearby as well. I'm sure that they can address any persistent offenders or serious troube-makers.

    ReplyDelete
  4. My first visit to the Tomb was with my junior high class trip. The alpha chaperone, a history teacher, was a man with military experience who had worked off his butt to overcome the racial prejudices of the South, get himself a college education, and find a respectable place in society. He had a well deserved reputation for zero bullshit tolerance. Before we got off the bus to go to the Tomb, he gave us all a "briefing" as to the decorum standards expected of us.

    At that time, there were no reprimands from the Tomb Guards because no such admonishments were necessary.

    My next visit to the Tomb was about 16 years later. I was in Washington, and did my workout run to Arlington National Cemetery. I encountered a soldier who was doing his own workout, who told me that there would soon be a change of the Guard at the Tomb, and invited me to accompany him there. So we ran up to the Tomb. There were two ditzy teenage girls in the audience who were forcefully reminded of the solemnity of setting by one of the Guards.

    The last time I was there was when my wife and I took our then young son to Washington. We had already visited my wife's uncle's grave, and took advantage of the teachable moment to instruct our son about how we knew where Uncle Bill was buried, but we did not know the identity of the soldiers was buried in the Tomb. Not all of the parents made similar preparations of their own children, and so, the Guards had to bark out a few reminders.

    A little good parenting and mentorship goes a long way. Unfortunately, good parenting seems to be an increasingly scarce commodity these days.

    ReplyDelete
  5. It's the me generations, no respect... and they can do what ever is necessary to maintain 'decorum'...

    ReplyDelete
  6. A good movie to watch is "Gardens of Stone" it came out in the late 80's and the Tomb Guards and the Old Guard play a good backdrop. My Dad was in the Old Guard and he told me some good stories. They can what is necessary, When I was in College ROTC at North Georgia College, I was in the Color Guard, I had the tasking one time of being one of the rifles that marched beside the National Colors, and a drunk came out of the crowd and tried to grab the American flag, I came to port arms and pushed him away gently the first time, he didn't take the hint that a sober person would, and he tried again. I pushed him away the second time and he came back and tried to grab my M-14 and I laid him out with a rifle butt the 3rd time. By this time the Sheriff deputies scarfed him up. Nothing was ever said to me. The duties were explained in great detail and many times. We were well trained.

    ReplyDelete
  7. A precision butt stroke would get the point across.

    ReplyDelete
  8. It would be real interesting to see if this has gotten worse since 0bama rook reign. Maybe it's time they employ a separate guard behind the rail to kick some butt when necessary.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Oh, they have the M-14's but they are sporting the Beretta (sigh) sidearm too. Right?

    ReplyDelete
  10. Never piss off a soldier carrying a rifle with bayonet fixed!

    Words to live by.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Anonymous12:16 AM

    It is a shame that most people have no respect.
    Today I met a Marine Korean War Veteran.I shook hands with him and Thanked him for his service.I got choked up hearing him tell about being a POW.He said the Red Chinese are very vicious and cruel.

    ReplyDelete