OUT. DAMN. STANDING.

Respect indeed. So sad that so many have no idea what that is.

My FIL was a simple Christian country boy. An honorable, hard working man who served in Germany as an Officer's Aid. He came home to raise a family of 6 kids, honey bees, a garden and ran a Dairy Farm until he succumbed to alzheimer's. A lifetime subscriber to Mother Earth news and National Geographic.

As the procession rolled down Main Street, past the last full service gas station in town, two young men were attending a car, one filling the gas tank and one under the open hood.

Upon seeing the Hearse, they both stopped what they were doing, moved to the street side of the car, removed and placed their their caps over their hearts and stood at attention until the procession had passed.

Those young men likely had no idea who they were honoring, whether it was deserved or not, or how much it meant to me.

Respect indeed.

Wow. I've never seen that.

Yes, OUTSTANDING!

OK, dangit, you're giving me hope for this species again.

I'll be that guy.

Unless that military guy knows the dead person or the family or he knows the dead was KIA or a high enough officer, I think he's an idiot for getting out of his car in the rain and rendering salute.

Or maybe it's the sailor in me that's speaking.

quote:

Originally posted by Rey HRH:
I'll be that guy.

Unless that military guy knows the dead person or the family or he knows the dead was KIA or a high enough officer, I think he's an idiot for getting out of his car in the rain and rendering salute.

Or maybe it's the sailor in me that's speaking.

I respect his decision to honor the deceased and the family.

Being a self-avowed misanthrope, I wouldn't do it because I have no way of knowing if the deceased was some thug from the 'hood that got himself killified carjacking the wrong dude.

But that's on me.

An honorable action. When I lived near Rhien-Main in Germany, US was fighting first Gulf War. Our injured soldiers were medivaced to the hospital there. When the ambulance approached the base, any cars nearby were shut off, and the guards saluted the injured as they past by. Very touching.

quote:

Originally posted by Rey HRH:
I'll be that guy.

Unless that military guy knows the dead person or the family or he knows the dead was KIA or a high enough officer, I think he's an idiot for getting out of his car in the rain and rendering salute.

Or maybe it's the sailor in me that's speaking.

Do we really need anyone to "be that guy?"

In a world full of bullshit, why take a piss when it's not necessary?

I miss the days when people remembered this saying:

"If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all."

Not every party needs a pooper, and not every thread needs it's door darkened or subject opposed. Particularly when the subject matter of a thread is positive or uplifting, no one really is interested in someone being "that guy."

Please let people have untarnished threads of this manor.

quote:

Originally posted by Rey HRH:
I'll be that guy.

Unless that military guy knows the dead person or the family or he knows the dead was KIA or a high enough officer, I think he's an idiot for getting out of his car in the rain and rendering salute.

Or maybe it's the sailor in me that's speaking.

He simply stood at attention. Where do you assume he rendered a salute? I mean really, he's an idiot? What's your problem?

Just imagine a young boy in that procession of cars not knowing much about life but knows that someone he loved is now gone forever (maybe his father, maybe his brother). Imagine he's looking out the window and sees that soldier standing at attention showing that magnitude of respect for someone he cared deeply about. Imagine the impact such an innocuous act might have on that young boy.

Or imagine it was just some dead low life in that hearse.

Now I ask you. In both scenarios, what is the gain and what is the loss for a few minutes that this soldier stood in the rain at attention? Idiot? Not even close.

quote:

Originally posted by Rey HRH:
I'll be that guy.

Unless that military guy knows the dead person or the family or he knows the dead was KIA or a high enough officer, I think he's an idiot for getting out of his car in the rain and rendering salute.

Or maybe it's the sailor in me that's speaking.

Seriously!?!?

Maybe he saluted because the casket had a flag draped over it.

quote:

Originally posted by arcwelder76:

quote:

Originally posted by Rey HRH:
I'll be that guy.

Unless that military guy knows the dead person or the family or he knows the dead was KIA or a high enough officer, I think he's an idiot for getting out of his car in the rain and rendering salute.

Or maybe it's the sailor in me that's speaking.

Do we really need anyone to "be that guy?"

In a world full of bullshit, why take a piss when it's not necessary?

I miss the days when people remembered this saying:

"If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all."

Not every party needs a pooper, and not every thread needs it's door darkened or subject opposed. Particularly when the subject matter of a thread is positive or uplifting, no one really is interested in someone being "that guy."

Please let people have untarnished threads of this manor.

Very well stated. Thank you for saying it better than I could have.

quote:

Originally posted by Rey HRH:
I'll be that guy.

Unless that military guy knows the dead person or the family or he knows the dead was KIA or a high enough officer, I think he's an idiot for getting out of his car in the rain and rendering salute.

Or maybe it's the sailor in me that's speaking.

Ooops!

Don't you hate it when you step in it like that?!

Respect. Those who have it need no explanation. For those that don't, no explanation is possible.

H&K-Guy

quote:

Originally posted by H&K-Guy:
Respect. Those who have it need no explanation. For those that don't, no explanation is possible.

H&K-Guy

Yes!

Won't comment on the asinine commentary regarding the incident. Oh, I guess I just did.

I'm a sailor, and I would stand at attention.

Even after retiring, I stop and pull to the right when a hearse approaches.

It is called respect.

When a servicemember dies he is given a 21 gun salute to show that in death we are all equal.

quote:

I'll be that guy.Unless that military guy knows the dead person or the family or he knows the dead was KIA or a high enough officer, I think he's an idiot for getting out of his car in the rain and rendering salute.Or maybe it's the sailor in me that's speaking.

Sorry to judge you on one post, but you have to be a total idiot to post this. Hope Im wrong, but how could paying respects to anyone be a bad thing. Whether you are a sailor or not. I know plenty of sailors, and your comment would piss the ones I know off. This is the problem with our society.

quote:

Originally posted by synthplayer:

quote:

Originally posted by Rey HRH:
I'll be that guy.

Unless that military guy knows the dead person or the family or he knows the dead was KIA or a high enough officer, I think he's an idiot for getting out of his car in the rain and rendering salute.

Or maybe it's the sailor in me that's speaking.

Ooops!

Don't you hate it when you step in it like that?!

I was wrong to think that he saluted but I still stand by what I said. How many people do that: hearse driving by, stop the car, put it in park, get out and stand as the hearse goes by, rain notwithstanding. What makes it special just because the guy is wearing a uniform?

We applaud behavior because we think its commendable and that more people ought to do it. Have we considered what would happen if more people would stop their car on the road, put it in park and stand respectfully as a hearse drives by???

The picture shows the traffic light red while the hearse is driving by just pass the intersection on the innermost lane. Which means the light must have just turned red. I see no evidence to the contrary that the guy had to have stopped while the light was green (which is why the hearse is driving by).

I've never come across any military regulation that military people have to get out of their car and stand at attention while a hearse drives by. I've never read anything from dear abbey or miss manners that one should step out of their vehicle in traffic while a hearse drives by.

This isn't extraordinary behavior, it's just out of the ordinary.

One of the things I like about this forum is that it does allow for alternative viewpoints instead of falling into group think. And it's not as if I always take the contrarian viewpoint on every discussion.

quote:

Location: Bay Area, CA |

There's the answer.