How dare he make eye contact with the Messiah?!

[Guest bkelm18]

Slightly ridiculous and humorous at the same time.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/01/27/inauguration.drum.major/index.html?iref=topnews

(CNN) -- An Ohio man who was suspended as the drum major of a band for giving President Obama a nod during last week's inaugural parade is calling it quits.

John Coleman quit his band after it suspended him for nodding to President Obama last week.

John Coleman resigned from the Cleveland Firefighters Memorial Pipes & Drums a week after the parade in Washington. Publicity about his suspension had gotten to be too much, he told CNN affiliate WEWS.

"It's come to a point where I don't want embarrassment anymore between the pipe band and myself," Coleman, who is a firefighter, told WEWS on Tuesday.

Coleman was seen during the nationally televised January 20 parade nodding toward the new president while marching with the band. A few steps later, he appeared to wave briefly.

He told WEWS that as the band was marching past the grandstand where Obama was sitting, he made eye contact with the president.

"Contact was made with our eyes both together and he smiled and waved at the band," he told the station. "And just as a gesture, I nodded my head. I gave him a slight wave and went on."

Representatives from the group did not return calls from CNN. But bandleader Mike Engle told the Cleveland Plain Dealer that Coleman was suspended because he ignored military protocol.

Coleman had been suspended from the band for six months.

In a written statement, band manager Ken Rybka said Coleman's resignation from the group "comes as a shock and surprise."

The band has been inundated with phone calls, e-mails and messages on its Internet pages -- almost all of them critical -- since the story first broke on Monday, Rybka said.

"It is unfortunate that an internal band issue has raised so much discussion and ire from the general public," Rybka said in the statement. "It has disheartened me more than you can imagine."

Rybka said that he will be taking a leave of absence from the band because of the furor.

"The 'afterglow' of participating in the inaugural parade is gone," he said.

[Steelharp]

Well... Streisand's contract requires people that work at her venues turn their backs to her as she walks in, lest their eyes make contact with her.

Bitch.

[Mark@Sea]

Somehow, avoiding eye exposure to Streisand just doesn't strike me as a hardship.

More like optic prophylaxis.

But yeah, such monumental self conceit deserves special recognition... Unfortunately a felony in 43 states.

[Guest db99wj]

Somehow, avoiding eye exposure to Streisand just doesn't strike me as a hardship.

More like optic prophylaxis.

But yeah, such monumental self conceit deserves special recognition... Unfortunately a felony in 43 states.

+1, I would just hope someone would give me the headsup that she was coming so I could make sure that I turned the other way.

Back to the OP, that is ridiculous and it proves there is a bunch of idiots out there.

[Guest GUTTERbOY]

Somehow, avoiding eye exposure to Streisand just doesn't strike me as a hardship.

More like optic prophylaxis.

Plus it makes it easier to fart on her if one is so inclined.

As for the original story... I'm curious as to how exactly military protocol has anything to do with a bunch of firefighters?

But bandleader Mike Engle told the Cleveland Plain Dealer that Coleman was suspended because he ignored military protocol.

[Guest db99wj]

Plus it makes it easier to fart on her if one is so inclined.

As for the original story... I'm curious as to how exactly military protocol has anything to do with a bunch of firefighters?

YOu wouldn't get kicked out or suspended from the Military for 6 months, you might do pushups for 6 months, but not suspended!

[memphismason]

In the words of our wonderful congress lady Ford "This is Dummmmmmb"

[Falcon1]

Coleman had been suspended from the band for six months.

In a written statement, band manager Ken Rybka said Coleman's resignation from the group "comes as a shock and surprise."

Well, I suppose if one imposes a penalty which might seem out of proportion to the infraction, one might not have the right to be surprised by an out-of-proportion reaction?