Bagpipe News » Band member banned for six months after giving a friendly wink to Obam

[Bagpiper]

Band member banned for six months after giving a friendly wink to Obama at inauguration | Mail Online. A friendly wink and a wave is usually a good welcoming gesture, particularly when the recipient is your newly-elected President. However it cost one band-member his place in a band after he was caught tipping his head in [...]

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[smokenpipesjim]

Having been incontact with other officials and members of the band, This hottly debated topic, stems from deeper issues, besides "just" the issue given the media By D/M Coleman... That it was he who decided to begin granting "exclusive" interviews and build a smear campaign because the issue was brought up about "proper procedure" for this band's standards in this particular situation. Traditionally, The band , Cleveland Firefighters Memorial Pipes and Drums formed in 1990-91 is one of the ten most senior Firefighters Pipe bands In the US, and has traditionally always offered it services pretty much anywhere anytime a firefighter is to be laid to rest in the line of duty, In 1999, The traveled Christmas week Back east To Worcester,Mass to assist in the Memorial service for 6 Worcester Firefighters killed while trying to Locate 2 homeless people who reportedly started the blaze in the Cold storage warehouse. Cleveland was the first to offer to go to Charleston, SC when Tragety struck That department in 2006. Cleveland has also played Numerous venues Locally as charity events as well as National fallen firefighter memorials in Emmittsburg, Md and the International Association of Firefighters Memorial in Colorado Springs, both annual events honor all firefighters and Career firefighters In the US and Canada thathave been lost the previous year. Lets Face it, all bands have a means by which buisness is taken care of, and D/M Coleman chose to air his laundry and create a media smear campaign rather then take his disipline like a man, Iagain remind you the part we see is the part Coleman wishes us to see, and thatwas the straw that broke the camels back so to speak. Reading Cleveland area blogs
shows various threats unless he is reinstated and so on and so forth By citizens That dont even understand pipe bands... The Band has pulled any and all links and member names from web places , due to thousands of emails and phone calls to the Band master (who has little to do with the situation either way) has had to call in Law enforcement because of specific Threats made to him. comentary On line, from all sorts of ordinary and not so ordinary folks has come to light as well as a few comments from both sides of the political spectrum Bashing the band for displining the Drum Major who'd apparently been instructed how to act but just couldn't help himself.. Personally, I saw two choices .. 1) was to march eyes front past the review 2) would be an acceptable eyes Left and a snap to salute... I dont know the true and proper Military proticals given The band isnt Military but a paramilitary organization nor what constraints may have been addressed for security purposes, etc. The band is rightfully keeping to themselves on an issue That should never have been aired publicly, The sad thing is to see the very kind of Damage a disgruntled member can cause YOUR organization.. Protect your member info and contacts, Use a band specific phone and throwaway email providers publicly! pre damage control...

Its always sad when breakups happen, and its a shame when people cant just agree that they disagree, walk away one would think aman with 17 years in the organization would respect all that everyone put into it, Rather then trying to "P" in the sand box so no one can play in it.. It is with Great Hope That the Band is able to get beyond this impass and continue They're Great tradition of providing sollice and latitude to memorial services of they're fallen brethern throughout the region and get past these darker days...


Jim

[Bagpiper]

I agree it's an unfortunate and unnecessary situation for all involved. The timing of the suspension was poorly chosen considering it was a historic and world wide publicized event. In hindsight, it would have been better to wait on any action.

The "apparent" reasoning for the suspension is pretty lame considering it's a volunteer organization and that no damage or injury was incurred by the action of the Drum Major.

As you stated in your post, this was probably just one factor that led to the member's suspension.