Members of the Allied Forces Foundation Pipe and Drum
Corps play bagpipes in Union Station in Washington, D.C.
(CNSNews.com/James Beattie)
Posted on 10/30/2013 5:15:20 PM PDT by jazusamo
(CNSNews.com) - An organization that serves British and American soldiers and its families was told by Union Station security in Washington, D.C., Saturday that it could not play its bagpipes, because it did not have a permit.
The Allied Forces Foundation (AFF), which helps wounded soldiers and their families in the United Kingdom as well as the United States, had a luncheon at Pizzeria Uno’s on Saturday for their families and supporters in the buildup to the Marine Corps Marathon, held the following day.
As part of the event, a couple members of the AFF’s Pipe and Drum Corps played a couple of tunes on bagpipes to entertain their group, as well as the general public. The pipers played on the balcony which faces the main promenade, but several members of Union Station’s security team stopped them, because they did not have a permit to play.
Maj. Steven Cain, MBE, one of the founders of the AFF who served for 20 years in the British Special Forces, explained that the entire incident was “ridiculous.”
“Today [Saturday] we were invited to play at the expo for the Marine Corps marathon. People loved it. They were applauded, and they came back. We came here and just to entertain, they just started to pipe,” said Cain.
“Most people loved it, but a little fellow came, and he said we needed a permit, and he came heavy handed with a bunch of his guys, and it was ridiculous. So the crowd didn’t like it, we didn’t like it, and it was doing no harm, but that’s the way it ended,” he added.
The incident occurred right as the pipes were playing “Amazing Grace.”
Ox Gara, drum major with the AFF Pipe and Drum Corps, explained that “Amazing Grace” transitions into The Marine Corps Hymn. He called the whole occurrence “very strange.”
“Right in the middle of ‘Amazing Grace’ the whole tune stopped, and I was on the other end of the seating area, and I knew something was wrong,” Gara said. “The next thing I know, all the pipers came back, and they said, ‘We’ve been shut down by security.’
“I’ve heard bad reactions to piping before, but nothing like where they sent three or four security people in a swarm in the middle of ‘Amazing Grace’ to shut down a pipe band which was playing for our allies and our wounded warriors,” he said.
“I mean I realize that they had a job to do, but I think it was maybe a little misplaced at that moment. They could’ve let them play and then given us a caution, but this was something that we do all the time, and we played here last year as well. It just seemed very strange,” Gara added.
In a follow-up with Cain, the AFF did not ask for permission to play this year but requested permission last year via Azalea Charities.
Lauren Dyer from the Union Station’s property management office said that the incident was stopped because AFF did not have a permit.
“You have to call ahead of time. There has to be the appropriate paperwork. There has to be approval. There’s a lot of events, and people come in and ask to do things like that, and they do not get approved. If we just let anyone come in whenever they wanted and there was no scheduling or security or COIs or any sort of planning, there would be chaos,” Dyer said.
Dyer said a bagpipe incident such as this is the first of this kind in her nearly five years working at Union Station, but acknowledged that this would have been a great event had the proper paperwork been in order.
“Most people call and schedule. If this had been a call ahead of time, if we had the appropriate paperwork in order, everything had been approved, it would’ve been a lovely thing to have at the station,” she added.
HUH? WHAT? I CAN’T HEAR YOU OVER THE BAGPIPES. WE’LL BE DONE IN A LITTLE WHILE AND THEN WE CAN TALK.
(Caps intentional)
What?
Are you serious?
If I had to tell a Marine piper he had to leave, I’d want to do it by phone.
LOL! Agreed.
Here's Drum Major Ox Gara. He looks like should be named Ox.
The pic was taken at at a ceremony marking the tenth anniversary of 9-11.
 |
 |
 America demands Justice for the Fallen of Benghazi! |
 |
 |
Thanks for the pic, SJ...He certainly does look like he should be named Ox.
My pleasure, FRiend...Your right on the mark about the petty and pompous minor bureaucrats.
|
|
America demands Justice for the Fallen of Benghazi! |
|
|
Ok folks— ever been in Union Station when the boomboxes are going for the chuck-a-lucks (the boom shakalakas YNWIM). Never have seen security shut those ton ton macoutes up, with their obnoxious rapist lyrics and foul dirt language.
But Amazing Grace on bagpipes— which these very officers would want have played at their funeral— no, we cant have that. Outrageous.
You GO Ox. Giving to AFF right now. Semper Fidelis. Deo Vindice.
I knew you would be interested!
Thank for the links to those great renditions, Conor!
BUMP!!
|
|
America demands Justice for the Fallen of Benghazi! |
|
|
|
|
America demands Justice for the Fallen of Benghazi! |
|
|
Ping to #20
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.