Golden State Warriors refuse to allow rifles honor guard presentation of colors

me ^ | nov 3 2002 | me

[KneelBeforeZod]

Friday night, Nov 1, the Golden State Warriors basketball team scheduled a local police departments honor guard to carry the colors before the game. One of the members of the honor guard is a good friend of mine who I've known for 23 years. He's a USMC vet, called to active duty during Desert Storm. His dad is a retired Marine Colonel. In short an all round good guy.

The incident is best explained by his letter to a politics newsletter. He lurks on FR, but I don't think he has signed up.

"I have been a police officer in the SF Bay Area for nine years, and I am a member of my department's Ceremonial Honor Guard. We perform parades, flag presentations, burial services and memorial services for fallen police officers, and other ceremonial functions. We perform our services for NO PAY (or any other compensation). We do it on our own time, and only for the honor of representing our country, our flag, our department, and those who have served before us.

On Friday (11/1/02), we sent a four-man flag detail (including me) to the Oakland Arena to present the colors at the Golden State Warriors basketball game. This was done as the result of a request by the Golden State Warriors. As you might expect, we brought the California flag, the United States flag, and two unloaded rifles for the ceremony.

When we got to the arena, we were asked by Warriors representatives to leave the rifles in our car. We were told that the Warriors front office did not want to "scare" anyone by having the rifles in the arena. Let me be perfectly clear about this...all four members of the Honor Guard are CURRENT police officers who were in FULL DRESS UNIFORM, including LOADED handguns. As a sidenote, we are ALL former military (2 Army, 2 Marine Corps) with over 50 years of military experience between us.

Our commander told the Warriors front office that we were prepared to do the presentation of the colors WITH the rifle element, but as a matter of principle, we would not go on without them. The Warriors front office left us in limbo for about an hour, before telling us they would not be needing our services that evening. We rolled up our flags, and left without delay.

I am still a bit in shock. Have we gotten to the point in this country that the sight of four uniformed police officers holding unloaded rifles in a ceremonial flag presentation causes panic among the public? To those in the Warriors front office, it seems we have. What a shame."

[KneelBeforeZod]

contact info for the warriors

pr@gs-warriors.com

Golden State Warriors

1011 Broadway
Oakland, CA 94607
(510) 986-2200

[RANGERAIRBORNE]

Basketball is a stupid game for stupid people. Who gives a rat's patoot what these morons do, anyway?

[KneelBeforeZod]

bang bump

[EggsAckley]

WOW! This REALLY sucks. I am outraged, and will email the Warriors. Geez, California is sinking below the horizon, and I am ashamed to be a native.

[Pearls Before Swine]

Depressing PC story. It appears "Warriors" is no longer an appropriate name for the team.

[EggsAckley]

It appears "Warriors" is no longer an appropriate name for the team.

No kidding. How about "Whoreiors?"

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

This is a big surprise coming from the 3-ring-circus that is the Golden State Warriors.

[Nakota]

The freedom those flags represent did not come to pass as a result of negotiations and crisis resolution, the rifes earned their place beside the flag.

[KneelBeforeZod]

The A's, who play about 200 yards away (or so) often have honor guards with rifles...they made it to the playoffs.

The warriors...just plain stink. must be karma. At least the 30 or 40 people who showed up Friday night weren't scared off by unloaded rifles.

[Cultural Jihad]

Golden State Wussies?

[Bogey78O]

You mean that's a real basketball team? I thought they just created that team for the NBA games for playstation so everyone could win at least once.

[Mr. Mojo]

It appears "Warriors" is no longer an appropriate name for the team.

No kidding. Perhaps the S.F. Limp Wrists would be more appropriate.

[babaloo999]

Spoken like a true soccer fan. BTW, it's spelled 'maroon' on this forum. I'm series.

[pgobrien]

I agree. Give each team 100 points....and make the game a minute long. What a waste of time.

[RIGHT IN SEATTLE]

I never cared for tree hockey myself.

[mhking]

Basketball is a stupid game for stupid people.

Basketball is the state religion in Indiana & Kentucky. A whole state can't be "stupid."

[Bogey78O]

Yes it can be. Look at California.

[RANGERAIRBORNE]

Just venting a little spleen- I really can't stand basketball, never could- can't say that about other sports, especially football, but for some reason the idea of a game that is set up for 7 foot tall genetic mutants with the IQ of a Vienna sausage is not very appealing to me. There appear to be only three plays in the whole playbook, and 2 of them involve getting the ball to the tallest player under the basket, so he can reach up and drop it in. Why does anyone watch this garbage? For the trash-talking and lack of sportsmanship? For the flagrant fouls that go unpunished? For the creative hairstyling? Beats me.

[lodwick]

Thanks for this one and bttt

[Jagdgewehr]

Basketball is a stupid game for stupid people. Who gives a rat's patoot what these morons do, anyway?

A hearty bump to RANGERAIRBORNE!