Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Drumming up support?

I'm asking anyone who may have been in a marching unit...oh...perhaps even a pipe band...what to make of the story embedded below. I think there is more to the suspension of this drum major (or is he a pipe major?) than a wink and a nod.

Come to think of it, why are the anchors supporting this guy for such a harmless gesture? Wasn't Sarah Palin regarded as a ditzy yokel because of a wink and a nod? Could these reports be biased? You betcha!

Update: Check out the comments for an authoritative analysis.




Posted by Matthew K at 9:26 PM
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2 comments:

  1. Gosh, I hardly know where to begin.

    Let me preface by stating that I am a piper, and have belonged to three pipe bands over the years (The Greater Cleveland Peace Officers Memorial Society Pipe Band, The Greater Cleveland Safety Forces Pipe Band and the Geauga Highlanders.) As a member of the BCPOMSPB, I marched in the 1993 inaugural parade.

    While it might seem apparent that your average layperson can't understand what the fuss is over, let me attempt to shed some light. By its nature, a pipe band is a paramilitary marching unit. It is supposed to abide by traditional military protocol. That means "eyes front". No emotion. Crisp, precise marching. Discipline.

    Now, having said that, allow me to provide a little insight into what may have caused this momentary break in military bearing. You prepare the best you can for an event like this, but if you haven't participated before, you really don't know what to expect. You end up parking your chartered bus at the Pentagon around 0900 and wait for a shuttle to take you to the staging area near the Smithsonian. There, you wait and wait some more. Then you begin the real wait as volunteer parade coordinators run around like chickens with their collective heads cut off.

    Then, much later than anticipated, your unit is ready to step off and march down Penn. Ave. Only it doesn't look like Penn. Ave. It's just hoards of people. You can't see the Whitehouse, because this enormous reviewing stand is set up in front of it. Oh yeah, you are also numb with cold because you just been standing around for some 7 or 8 hours. You hope your pipes will even work.

    Then, as you pass the reviewing stand, the temptation to look to you left is almost overwhelming.

    Now, I mentioned earlier that Pipe Bands are, by their very nature, are paramilitary unit. Well, close. The bands are made of of volunteers, not members of the military. It is rare for a civilian band to achieve the bearing of a military unit (some Canadian bands come very close).

    What Drum Major Coleman did was to look left, see everyone waving at him, and then wave back. Thank God it wasn't one of those wiggly finger waves! He broke a rule. Should he have been suspended? I don't know.

    I'll attempt to shed a little more light on the situation. I mentioned that I've belonged to three pipe bands over the years. Without exception, every one of these bands have succumbed to in-fighting to one degree or another. I really don't understand it, but it happens. I am speculating, but I wouldn't be surprised some sort of internal dynamic was at play here. If that was the case, I can understand why Coleman quit. What starts out as fun ends up to be a stressful job. Who wants that?

    By the way, if you review the tapes from the 1993 parade, you'll notice that the tall piper at the rear of the fourth rank was caught looking at the reviewing stand. Thankfully, there were fewer news outlets back then.

    Limber Joe
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  2. You are lucky that the statute of limitations has been exceeded, or channel 19 follies (news) would be all over your case!
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