By It is pretty pathetic when the Old Guard Soldier has got to address people to shut their mouths at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier:
Tomb of the Unknown Guard Silences Disrespectful Crowd: MyFoxDC.com
It really shouldn’t have come to the point that the Soldier in the above video The last time I was at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier a couple of years ago to meet with a friend, there was a gaggle of teenagers being noisy and joking around. I walked up to them and politely told them to this was not the place to socialize and to go to the other side of the pavilion if they wanted to joke around. The teenagers kept quiet from then on. Something else that bugged me about what I saw was how so many of the people watching were dressed like absolute slobs. The teenagers I spoke to were part of a group there as a school trip and you would think the teachers would have required these kids to at least dress half way decent to go to Arlington National Cemetery. Then again they couldn’t even be bothered to correct their students when they were being noisy so I’m sure they could care less about how they dress. Even adults looking on were dressed like they just got out of bed. Maybe beside having quiet areas at the cemetery they should have a dress code to enter the cemetery as well?
She hasn’t seen...
11:25 pm on November 19th, 2011 1
What do you expect, they are tourists? The question you should be addressing instead is not how they dress but rather whether tour buses should be going to a cemetery.
1:10 am on November 20th, 2011 2
Coolest damn thing I’ve seen today.
2:12 am on November 20th, 2011 3
What are they authorized to do if the Westboro Baptist people showed up?
2:22 am on November 20th, 2011 4
3. If the cops our busy beating our fellow citizens, they show up and deal with it, I suppose.
2:23 am on November 20th, 2011 5
Dam, screwed by auto correct:
3. If the cops aren’t busy beating our fellow citizens, they show up and deal with it, I suppose.
3:53 am on November 20th, 2011 6
#3,
Use his rifle as a club.
6:45 am on November 20th, 2011 7
@1 – It doesn’t matter if you are a tourist or not. If you know you are going to a place as hallowed as Arlington National Cemetery you should dress and act appropriately. If you can’t meet such a simple standard of civility then you shouldn’t be allowed in.
8:39 am on November 20th, 2011 8
I sure hope the folks who know what the word “respect” means,and have the willingness and ability to show it,don’t disappear completely. This is one of the many examples I see in which a lack of cognizance is justified as being a political statement. As long as I see others object to this sort of behavior I don’t feel completely alone. At least we are here to speak up about it.
9:48 am on November 20th, 2011 9
It’s a shame that people have to be reminded of things they should already know. The tour groups should be given a list of dos and don’ts and violators should be removed from the area. I have no objections to that.
12:46 pm on November 20th, 2011 10
I agree with the other views expressed here that it is sad that people have to be told to be respectful in a hallowed place such as this. Patriotism, honor, & respect seem to have gone out of fashion. If people act like children then that is how they should be treated. Post the signs as to proper behavior & dress and if someone violates them then they should be escorted out of the area. Some of the respectful onlookers should have told the others to STFU!
5:49 am on November 21st, 2011 11
#7,
You know all too well that’s not how organized tours work. I guarantee that the cemetery is not the highlight of the tour for the tourists and wearing less casual clothes is the least of their worries. As I was saying, they shouldn’t even be brought there, but the travel agencies all do because it’s one more stop on the tour, and that’s a selling point.
5:51 am on November 21st, 2011 12
#9,
Yes, that’s a good idea…but I don’t imagine that would sit too well with some of the tourists.
12:34 pm on November 21st, 2011 13
During a change of guard, the SOG walked over to the crowd where he someone was not standing during the ceremony. The guy turned out to be a double amputee Viet Nam Vet. He lifted himself up out of his wheel chair with his hands on the arm rest. I guess the SOG told that disprectful MF!
Then theres the one where the first black female sentinel is caught on video throwing snowballs at a sentinel on the mat after hours.
How about Heather Johnson, the first female, cursing like a port side whore.
I got a million of em..
2:41 pm on November 21st, 2011 14
I wonder and worry: Now people will try to get a reaction out of the sentinels (sort of like they do with the Buckingham Palace guards).
/shouldn’t be female. our current political correctness is disrespectful to the MEN buried in the tomb.
10:21 pm on December 14th, 2011 15
I have so many comments I do not know where to start.I am from Washington THE STATE,and my visit to WA DC…Arlington Cemetary took up most of my time and was the best. That said,I do agree with the silence or quiet,I find it hard tho to assult people on the dress code esp the school teacher. Now days the teachers wear jeans etc.and re her not being able to watch over her kids….how long since u have been in school setting? Teachers have to teach kids all that MOST parents do not have time to because it takes both parents working to get by in this day and age…and how many kids even come from a two parent family anymore??? As for dress code- one example I cannot gey out of my head are our vietnam vets,whom many are homeless and as long as they show respect does it really matter what they are wearing or look like?? The changing of guard ceremony just brought me too tears I could not stop…instead of criticizing we could volenteer in schools,or to accompany teachers on outings as class sizes grow bigger.Kids need and want adults to look up too…many have so many 1/2s and steps or no grandparents. The history they learn is a joke and may have never been around any milatary. I was lucky to be a stay at home mom,at one point when I did work at our State Capitol…I will tell you-the job is more like your family,just because of the time spent there…by time home…traffic being what it is…where does that leave good quality time to help w/homework,let alone personal,talk,etc.etc.Alot of people need help in these trying times and I am afraid our younger generation is be left to fend for themselves or babysat by video games or tv. There are the parents that do it right,but it is not easy.We need to come together and help our neighbors…I almost wish every student had to do some time in the milatary…kids need rules schedules disciplne,that they do not get any more. Just try and walk in anothers shoes…and maybe take some time to pass on some knowledge,stories,or listening ear. Also alot of the offenders are immature adults or adults that grew up on their own.
11:26 pm on December 14th, 2011 16
They should be authorized, by presidential decree, to fix bayonets and attack anyone who is disrespectful at the Tomb.
3:33 am on December 15th, 2011 17
#15
Would it be solely up to the guard’s discretion to decide what is or is not disrespectful and would there be a minimum age at which someone could be considered disrespectful before deadly force is used?
My point is, when you visit a place like the DMZ, the rules are clearly spelled out as to what is not allowed to prevent offenses that might instigate a serious incident. Why not have similar rules spelled out and applied at Arlington, if it is so needed?
8:58 pm on December 15th, 2011 18
It’s kind of hard to expect people to have respect and reverence for this country and the people who have served when they don’t say the Pledge Of Alligence in school anymore.