Firefighter Tears Up Over Suspension For Nod To Obama

[OhioChick]

John Coleman Waves To President During Inaugural Parade

POSTED: 11:49 am EST January 26, 2009
UPDATED: 3:16 pm EST January 26, 2009

CLEVELAND -- A local firefighter says he has accepted his six-month suspension from his role in the Cleveland Firefighters Memorial Pipes and Drum Corp for giving President Barack Obama a nod and wave during last week's inaugural parade in Washington, D.C.

Drum Major and Cleveland Heights fire inspector John Coleman spoke exclusively to NewsChannel5's Duane Pohlman about his violation.

Coleman has been with the pipes and drums for 17 years and said he doesn't want to bring negativity or shame to the band.

"We returned from Washington and in the parking lot in the bus, I was told I was receiving a six month suspension for conduct unbecoming the band," Coleman said.

He said there was a lot of hard work by the band in Washington and it was a great moment.

"I just was told this was a military parade and I was not to salute the president, which I did not and I happened to glance over at the booth and see if the president was even in the booth reviewing," he said. "Contact was made with our eyes both together and he smiled and waived at the band and just as a gesture, I nodded my head. I gave him a slight wave and went on."

Coleman said he doesn't feel he did anything wrong.

"With the president, I could not just ignore him," he said.

Coleman teared up when talking about the incident, saying he was hurt by the suspension.

Bandleader Pipe Major Mike Engle said Coleman violated the proper decorum required of a military parade.

Engle says other pipe bands complained about the behavior.

http://www.newsnet5.com/politics/18565275/detail.html

[Beaverhausen]

1. That is ridiculous

WTF???

[K Gardner]

33. We were posting about this during the parade.. how Barack/Michelle were actually PAYING ATTENTION to

the bands and performers, giving them encouragement and acknowledgement and what a tremendous respect it showed for those out in the cold, performing for HIM.

This is absolute bullcrap - that the performers respond to his acknowledgement and are suspended?! WTF !

[Mari333]

2. decorum shmorum

thats just stupid, suspending the guy. he got caught up in the joy of the moment. who the f cares. how anal .

[rcrush]

3. He was suspended from the band or the fire department?

Still its silly but not as bad as the headline made me think.

[CTyankee]

4. You gotta feel sorry for the guy. He was just being a human.

I get it that there are rules governing marching bands of this particular kind but I think there should be some flexibility. Maybe the rules should be reconsidered...

[robinlynne]

38. I certainly would have waved at president Obama if he waved at me!!!!!!!!

hell yes.

[Rabrrrrrr]

5. I just saw him on some stupid entertainment show (Inside Edition, maybe?)

The guy's asshole supervisor insisted that the parade was a "military parade".

What a fucking asshole.

Yeah, a parade filled with high school bands, Native American bands, and firefighters is a "military" parade.

And if it were a military parade, and this guy and his band were actual military members, and he nodded and winked at the president - he'd get a reprimand, maybe, at the most. He wouldn't get a six month suspension. That's like court martialing the guy.

Fucking hell.

I'm really tempted to write a letter to that asshole supervisor shithead and tell what a fucking shitiot he is.

[DeepBlueC]

11. I think shithead is going to get a lot of mail!

:(

[Pirate Smile]

18. Don't forget the lawnmowers.

[moc]

43. Don't forget the lawnmowers. All military parades have lawn mowers, doncha know?

[Hardrada]

45. And pastel hoop skirts too!

[DeepBlueC]

6. I think a Presidential pardon is in order!

Keeee-rist!

[Rabrrrrrr]

13. If I were president, I'd do it!

And I'd give a dressing down to the shitiot supervisor and tell him to be a little more flexible and human in the future.

And then, if I were president with the kind of power I'd *prefer* to have, I'd kick him in the balls and tell my secret service guys to give a once over and dump him off naked 20 miles out of town.

[MADem]

7. When your president greets you, it's indecorous NOT to return the greeting.

What is wrong with some assholes?

[Idealism]

8. How is a firefighter drum corp a 'military parade'?

By definition you are not part of the military...

[EFerrari]

9. The whiners need to pipe down. n/t

[monmouth]

10. I saw that interaction, specifically I wanted to see if the President was

watching this band because he was being tapped on the shoulder to talk to people. Coleman turned his head towards the reviewing stand and when he noticed the President smiling at him and waving, what the hell else would they expect this man to do? His recognition to the President was subtle and nuanced. I was happy for him, knew he was happy the Pres. gave him the wave. It would have been rude for Coleman to ignore the POTUS. Sometimes the priorities are just plain stupid....

[mnhtnbb]

12. It's like the stupid football rules penalizing guys for getting happy over a touchdown.

I feel sorry for the guy. The Bandleader is a jerk.

[Pirate Smile]

14. Here is a photo - awwwwww - I smell a backlash.

[OhioChick]

19. I see absolutely nothing wrong with that....

For God's sakes, the President acknowledged him. Is he supposed to ignore him?

[tularetom]

15. "Bandleader Pipe Major Mike Engle" sounds like a bit of tightass

He also sounds like the type of dipshit that should never be put in a position of authority or given a title like Bandleader Pipe Major.

[Azlady]

24. I agree!

[liberal N proud]

16. Petty bullshit

Other pipe bands complained about the behavior? :wtf:

[mnhtnbb]

17. Anybody want to bet the Bandleader is a Republican?

[Rabrrrrrr]

20. And the other pipebands that complained? They need to get over themselves. They're volunteer bands,

not the fucking Navy Seals or astronauts or Nobel winners.

[rateyes]

21. The "Pipe Major" needs to put some chill tobacco in his pipe and smoke it.

[nadinbrzezinski]

22. This will not be popular but having served in a paramilitary organization

yes the FD is one... the supervisor is right

You do NOT do anything like that in uniform

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

36. I agree

[lunatica]

23. Should he have ignored the President?

Come to think of it I enjoyed everything I saw about the Inauguration, especially the show at the Lincoln Memorial, except for the military part after the first few times they did their ritual stuff. There's an awful lot of stylized ceremonial activity that is boring and makes me wonder what is so glamorous about synchornized arms presentations or the military itself that they have to go overboard. I get it that the President is Commander in Chief, but the military angle gets too much time. A little goes a long way. The robotlike stances and movements and the stone hard faces are unfriendly and off-putting when used after each and every rock band, entertainer or after the simple quotes by famous Americans. It keeps bringing the party atmosphere down.

Then they punish this guy for making eye contact and finding himself in a situation where he felt it would be rude not to acknowledge the President's gesture. That's crap

[LibDemAlways]

25. I hope someone informs Obama of this and he

asks Engle that the suspension be lifted. This is just inane.

[DearAbby]

26. A write up or reprimand but not a suspension

seems pretty harsh. I can understand the discipline this band demands of it's members. But this does seem harsh, considering the circumstances.

My Husband as a youth was in the Drum Corps, and it is taken very seriously. But damn, a suspension?

[OnceUponTimeOnTheNet]

28. 6 months brings him to the end of July. He'll miss all the Fourth parades.

Does seem harsh, but he should not have looked at the President. None the less waved at him for petes sake.

My son is in a Drum Corps, they are serious about this sort of thing here too.

[Catherine Vincent]

27. That is so stupid!

[malaise]

29. Bravo Mr. Coleman

Fugg them.

[Uncle Joe]

30. Talking about killing a fly with a sledgehammer,

sixth months is ridiculous!

George Washington didn't want us have kings and neither does President Obama.

[RamboLiberal]

31. That bandleader is a jerk - anyone send this to Countdown?

I this one would get a mention in either the Best Persons or Worst Person in the World segment. I hope Bandleader Pipe Major Mike Engle enjoys his 15 minutes of fame as a doofus!

[babydollhead]

32. Remember!! No one was Ever to give * eye contact.

FUCK THIS!!

[stillcool]

34. Damn. That is sad.

there is a poll there to vote whether you could have resisted.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

35. My god, that really upsets me...

How terrible for him...

And a six month suspension?

I have no words for this.


K&R

And off to the Greatest for you!

:patriot:

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

37. He knew the rules

He broke them. It was a military parade.

That band also competes (one of the best in the world) and a move like that would have cost the band the whole competition.

The guy was an idiot.

:patriot:

[DKRC]

40. Military parade ... with the Mobile Azalea Trail Maids,

Lawnmowers, LGBA, & high school bands?
Our military takes covert ops pretty damn serious if those are some of the covers they're employing to keep "'Merica safe".

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

41. He broke the rules of the pipe & drums band

Pipe & drum bands are "military" bands, even if they are not military. The pipes are an instrument of war.

[liskddksil]

39. This is why marching band is the worst thing to ever happen to music

As a classical and jazz percussionist, I believe music should be about artistic expression, creativity, and the comradarie of performing with others to entertain and educate. These militaristic rules and regulations, and the "winning is everything" attitude fostered by marching band competitionsdo not sit well with me at all. For example, at a marching band competition I saw last year out of curiosity, one band director made his entire high school band after performing sit in the cold, in absolute silence, for the duration of the event, taking the fun out of music for a whole bunch of students.

[MsTryska]

42. hmm..is that like the Royal Guard in England?

the ones with the big q-tip looking hats that people torture but they can't acknowledge?


is it that sort of thing in the piping marching bands? if so then yeah - i guess he's gotta suck up the suspension.

[struggle4progress]

44. Who knew? Acknowledging the new President on Inauguration Day is a major etiquette no-no!

[BrightKnight]

46. I thought that the President decided what was proper "military" decorum.

The commander-in-chief apparently made eye contact and waved. The Pipe Major needs to un-clinch. Life is too short for this kind of B.S..