As precise as it gets. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2hY17VIpoeg

Good men doing a good thing.

Yes indeed.

They learnt that by copying the Marines.

Proud.

No to denigrate the solemnity of the location, but all I see is a bunch of parade ground public relations BS.

The pomp and circumstance is to honor our fallen. How would you change it?

Remove it or maybe they should sell peanuts and popcorn with gallery seats?

Somewhat unrelated, but when I think of Arlington Nat. Cemetery, I think of the government's power to steal by taxation which is what was done to acquire Arlington.

quote:

Originally posted by Gatogordo:


Somewhat unrelated, but when I think of Arlington Nat. Cemetery, I think of the government's power to steal by taxation which is what was done to acquire Arlington.

Don’t lose wars to Uncle Sam - he takes a heavy cut in the spoils of war

Mike

Surprisingly, in a Supreme Court case, the land that is now Arlington was returned to an heir because it was ruled that due process was denied. He later sold it to back the government, of course, the fact that a portion of it was now a cemetery may have entered into that decision.

quote:

Remove it or maybe they should sell peanuts and popcorn with gallery seats?

Tradition, honor, fidelity and closure to families is what I see. The dead have no opinion on how Arlington came about. I have an opinion of your statement on how to change it.

I seem to recall that that land once belonged to Robert E. Lee.Not that that matters but if my memory is correct,just another interesting historical footnote.

quote:

Originally posted by xgrunt:

quote:

Remove it or maybe they should sell peanuts and popcorn with gallery seats?

Tradition, honor, fidelity and closure to families is what I see. The dead have no opinion on how Arlington came about. I have an opinion of your statement on how to change it.

Well, let's be realistic, it's all a bunch of showmanship. The rifles apparently don't have any ammo in the magazines and there is certainly nothing in or on it that would impress the dead. So families get closure watching a drill team? Right.

FWIW, your opinion has no value in changing my opinion. I considered the consequences for quite a while before I started this, knew it wasn't going to win any "good boy" praises, but I finally decided that watching that BS was more than silence was worth.

I've gone through the same sort of inspection but without the spectators.
Of course there isn't any ammo in the magazine. The "head bob" before he presents the rifle is, symbolically, to insure that the rifle is unloaded.
I think it is a fine tribute to the fallen that rest there. When the guards that march at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier continued to stand guard during a hurricane even though they had permission to withdraw, there were no spectators. Nor popcorn vendors.

I see valid points by both wasbeeman and gato.

This is an important ceremony and part of a larger tribute to the fallen. Its both appropriate and necessary.

I am a former Marine and I appreciate this and other similar ceremonies.

But the manner in which some of the moves have evolved has become a little too dramatic. The exaggerated head bobs, the long head and eye movements from the muzzle to the butt stock. The movement of the feet. It's become too theatrical and has lost much, if not all of its original military bearing.

Some of it looks like what one would expect from a college marching band, not an elite military unit.

By the way, the white glove inspection for grease and oil on certain points of the rifle flies in the face of the meaning of the rifle itself. This is a guard post. The rifle, although in this case symbolic, is supposed to represent the guards ability to protect the grave site. The rifle is supposed to be in condition to go to battle. The rubbing of the white-gloved fingers together after an inspection for oil and grease is silly.

We need traditions like this. They are important. We just don't need the puppetman, theatrical, over-acted antics.

A simple, crisp, rifle inspection and change-of-post would be far more poignant.

I will admit they are somewhat playing to the nickel seats --ones that perhaps have never seen a rifle inspection-- but I'd rather see that than the other extreme. Or it being ridiculed into oblivion by folks that don't understand the real meaning.
I guess next there will be a movement to remove the Marine Memorial as it is too "militant".

Take a look at the audience while this clip is being filmed. I don’t think you need to say anything else.

All gave some, some gave all.

quote:

Originally posted by Gatogordo:
Remove it or maybe they should sell peanuts and popcorn with gallery seats?

Somewhat unrelated, but when I think of Arlington Nat. Cemetery, I think of the government's power to steal by taxation which is what was done to acquire Arlington.

There was a lot of symbolism involved by turning Robert E. Lees estate into a Union cemetery.

Grizz

Regardless of anything else,the ceremony is to show respect.