Such is the case of a report by Laurence Vance at the LRC Blog who tells a reader’s account of being refused service by a food vendor at a sporting event. Why? Was he being disruptive in some way? Was he threatening the vending employees or other customers?
Why no, he was much more callous than that. He simply desired to purchase some food while……..the national anthem was being played in the stadium.
Horrors! The audacity of the man to commit such an egregious, uncaring act!
Apparently, the vendor is not allowed (by some unnamed authority) to transact any business while The Empire’s War Anthem is playing through the stadium’s public address system. And by the looks of the photo, they are not allowed to do anything else, either, but stand still and gaze at Moldy Old Glory while it waves on the nearest monitor.
When seeing the war anthem played on TV, I’ve always thought what a great time for an attending fan to head out to the concession stand or restroom. Everyone else is frozen in place and you can quickly take care of your business and get back to your seat before the game starts. But I guess that’s not possible. Does security disallow any moving around at all? Can they kick you out for doing so?
My first thoughts go to the food vendor employees, now frozen in place as the anthem echoes throughout the stadium. What if several hamburger patties on the grill are just about due to be flipped…..and then, the anthem begins. Must the patties be allowed to burn as a necessary sacrifice? After all, it’s a pretty long song. What if the alarm on the French fry cooker goes off…..just after the anthem begins. Are the fries left to cook excessively long?
Are such instances exceptions to the rule? Do the cooks and other employees have some special dispensation from on high for rightfully and reverently handling such chores?
Let’s now move our attention to another important area of the sport venue- the restrooms.
I wonder if the “stand in place” requirement holds in the restroom, as well. I imagine the nicer parks have a TV in the restrooms. What’s the etiquette there? If standing at the urinal when the war anthem begins, should I stress my sphincter and “shut down” midstream while urinating? Should I then turn toward the nearest image of the war flag? Should I zip up first?
Is there a prescribed way to respectfully stand at the urinal while the War Anthem is playing that I’m not aware of? Perhaps this fellow has an idea.
Since transsexuals are a protected group, are they allowed more leeway in such a situation? Can they switch their identities back and forth to accommodate the situation they find themselves in?
Is this requirement to stand at attention and face the flag only for sporting events or for any situation where the anthem is played? If I walk into the McDonald’s down the street and begin playing the War Anthem from my Ipod, are the employees required to stop working and stand at attention until the completion of the song? No? Why not? What is the difference between the two situations that would make that so? And just who decides exactly what situations require obedience?
And the same goes for restroom etiquette. Should reverence also be displayed at any restroom that is paid a visit by my anthem- transmitting Ipod? Is it my duty as a loyal subject to report any subversives that fail to follow procedure?
So many questions to ask….So many things to learn...........
Resistance is Mandatory
No rulers
No masters
NO CONSENT
2 comments:
I use the time during mystical rituals (War Hymns, pledges of allegiance, prayers, etc.) to look around and see if there are any other humans among the zombies.
Of course, I do my very best to avoid being where any of those rituals will be performed, anyway.
Prayer is just a form of meditation. But it’s meant to be done alone, not collectively.
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