# What would happen if a tourist (or worse) got disrespectful at the Tomb of the Unknowns (Arlington)? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 9, 2011, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-a-tourist-or-worse-got-disrespectful-at-the-tomb-of-the-unknowns-arlington/602363 "2011-11-09T04:37:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Ruken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f475e1/32.png) [@Ruken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruken)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2011, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-a-tourist-or-worse-got-disrespectful-at-the-tomb-of-the-unknowns-arlington/602363/41 "2011-11-13T15:20:49Z")
> [@Laggard](#): > > What kind of asshat would laught at a place like that? Either an asshat or someone experiencing strong emotions; I’ve heard of people laughing uncontrollably at funerals, but maybe that’s just one of those “I’ve heard of” things. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2011, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-a-tourist-or-worse-got-disrespectful-at-the-tomb-of-the-unknowns-arlington/602363/42 "2011-11-13T17:39:26Z")
> [@Raguleader](#): > > Wait, haven’t we been fighting the Tourists for the last ten years?.. We have always been fighting the Tourists. ---
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2011, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-a-tourist-or-worse-got-disrespectful-at-the-tomb-of-the-unknowns-arlington/602363/43 "2011-11-13T21:26:32Z")
> [@Erdosain](#): > > I have to assume that they’d pause the ceremony and the unruly spectators would be swiftly escorted from the cemetery by uniformed guards (not the ceremonial guards). Local police would probably be waiting outside if the tourists were sufficiently unruly. I could definitely see that for trespassing on the tomb, but what about for protocol violations like laughing or refusing to stand? Could they really arrest someone for simply staying seated? And how does the guard tell the difference between someone who is simply being a disrespectful asshole versus someone with a genuine disability (obviously a wheelchair would qualify but something more subtle)? ---
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2011, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-a-tourist-or-worse-got-disrespectful-at-the-tomb-of-the-unknowns-arlington/602363/44 "2011-11-13T21:29:24Z")
And, I feel sorry for the one guy in one of those clips. He obviously dropped a scrap of paper and quickly slid under the rails to retrieve it so as NOT to dishonor the tomb. For doing that he got a tongue-lashing. ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2011, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-a-tourist-or-worse-got-disrespectful-at-the-tomb-of-the-unknowns-arlington/602363/45 "2011-11-13T22:28:17Z")
> [@Spoons](#): > > The new soldier was marching properly and not stopping, so the PS personnel were the ones parting the crowd, saying, “'Scuse me, pardon me, make way for the new guard,” and so on. I I can’t help reading this in a Bugs Bunny voice. > [@chrisk](#): > > Okay, the question on my mind - and I hope it’s not disrespectful - is… > > What’s worse than a tourist? 🙂 Hipsters! ---
**Author:** ![Laggard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de053/32.png) [@Laggard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laggard)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2011, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-a-tourist-or-worse-got-disrespectful-at-the-tomb-of-the-unknowns-arlington/602363/46 "2011-11-13T23:15:42Z")
> [@Indistinguishable](#): > > Someone who was suddenly struck with the thought of something funny? I remember being there and can’t imagine how anything funny could suddenly strike anyone. And if it did, so what? You can’t control what sound come out of your mouth? ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2011, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-a-tourist-or-worse-got-disrespectful-at-the-tomb-of-the-unknowns-arlington/602363/47 "2011-11-14T00:13:15Z")
I guess those honor guards are needed. Some jerk stole the sword out of Lincoln’s tomb. > **[CBS News | Breaking news, top stories & today's latest headlines](https://www.cbsnews.com/)** > > CBS News offers breaking news coverage of today's top headlines. Stay informed on the biggest new stories with our balanced, trustworthy reporting. > [@](#): > > SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (CBS/AP) - Thieves have nabbed a 3-foot-long copper sword atop Lincoln’s Tomb in what is believed to be the first theft at the site in more than a century. ---
**Author:** ![Indistinguishable](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/90ced4/32.png) [@Indistinguishable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indistinguishable)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2011, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-a-tourist-or-worse-got-disrespectful-at-the-tomb-of-the-unknowns-arlington/602363/48 "2011-11-14T00:30:44Z")
> [@Laggard](#): > > I remember being there and can’t imagine how anything funny could suddenly strike anyone. I’m suitably impressed with the depths of your solemnity and/or sorry you have such limited imagination. > [@](#): > > And if it did, so what? You can’t control what sound come out of your mouth? Occasionally, I have difficulty with it. I’ve also been known to involuntarily release gas in public on rare but embarrassing occasion. Things happen. ---
**Author:** ![Laggard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de053/32.png) [@Laggard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laggard)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2011, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-a-tourist-or-worse-got-disrespectful-at-the-tomb-of-the-unknowns-arlington/602363/49 "2011-11-14T02:00:21Z")
> [@Indistinguishable](#): > > I’m suitably impressed with the depths of your solemnity and/or sorry you have such limited imagination. > . And I’m suitably impressed with your lack of respect for those who died so that you would be able to laugh at them. ---
**Author:** ![Raguleader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@Raguleader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raguleader)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2011, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-a-tourist-or-worse-got-disrespectful-at-the-tomb-of-the-unknowns-arlington/602363/50 "2011-11-14T02:49:05Z")
> [@Laggard](#): > > And I’m suitably impressed with your lack of respect for those who died so that you would be able to laugh at them. The answer to your question though, is “Not always.” Sometimes some random thing will just occur to a person, and once a laugh starts, it’s hard to stop. It is not entirely unlike a cough or a sneeze in that regard. And of course, if you catch yourself almost laughing and catch yourself, you may find yourself trapped in the most terrifying of situations: The Giggle Loop. Sort of a giggle-feedback loop where you find the fact that you almost giggled inappropriately to be funny. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2011, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-a-tourist-or-worse-got-disrespectful-at-the-tomb-of-the-unknowns-arlington/602363/51 "2011-11-14T02:56:33Z")
The Ceremony of the Keys at the Tower of London might also interest you. The website says it’s been done continuously since 1340, but I suspect they didn’t keep it up during the Cromwell years. Still, a helluva lot longer than since 1937: [Ceremony of The Keys](http://www.trooping-the-colour.co.uk/keys/) ---
**Author:** ![zombywoof](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/9e8a1a/32.png) [@zombywoof](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zombywoof)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2011, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-a-tourist-or-worse-got-disrespectful-at-the-tomb-of-the-unknowns-arlington/602363/52 "2011-11-14T02:58:47Z")
> [@jtgain](#): > > Could they really arrest someone for simply staying seated? I’d certainly hope not, it’s supposed to be a free country after all. > [@jtgain](#): > > And how does the guard tell the difference between someone who is simply being a disrespectful asshole versus someone with a genuine disability (obviously a wheelchair would qualify but something more subtle)? Application of a modicum of common sense, I’d think. ---
**Author:** ![Cayuga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@Cayuga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cayuga)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2011, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-a-tourist-or-worse-got-disrespectful-at-the-tomb-of-the-unknowns-arlington/602363/53 "2011-11-14T19:39:49Z")
> [@Laggard](#): > > And I’m suitably impressed with your lack of respect for those who died so that you would be able to laugh at them. Why are you unable to understand that laughing while in someone’s presence is not the same thing as laughing at them, and does not necessarily connote a lack of respect for them? ---
**Author:** ![Dave.B](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9f8e36/32.png) [@Dave.B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dave.B)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2011, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-a-tourist-or-worse-got-disrespectful-at-the-tomb-of-the-unknowns-arlington/602363/54 "2011-11-14T20:01:54Z")
> [@Cayuga](#): > > Why are you unable to understand that laughing while in someone’s presence is not the same thing as laughing at them, and does not necessarily connote a lack of respect for them? It does tend to inhibit the ability of others to pay their respects though. Most people are there for that reason, and a sombre, respectful mood is ruined by idiotic laughter. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2011, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-a-tourist-or-worse-got-disrespectful-at-the-tomb-of-the-unknowns-arlington/602363/55 "2011-11-14T20:36:19Z")
> [@Dave.B](#): > > It does tend to inhibit the ability of others to pay their respects though. Most people are there for that reason, and a sombre, respectful mood is ruined by idiotic laughter. Isn’t that a bit of a non sequitur? ---
**Author:** ![Dave.B](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9f8e36/32.png) [@Dave.B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dave.B)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2011, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-a-tourist-or-worse-got-disrespectful-at-the-tomb-of-the-unknowns-arlington/602363/56 "2011-11-14T21:04:42Z")
in what way? ---
**Author:** ![SeaCanary](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@SeaCanary](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaCanary)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2011, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-a-tourist-or-worse-got-disrespectful-at-the-tomb-of-the-unknowns-arlington/602363/57 "2011-11-14T21:44:40Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > > [@Dave.B](#): > > > > It does tend to inhibit the ability of others to pay their respects though. Most people are there for that reason, and a sombre, respectful mood is ruined by idiotic laughter. > > Isn’t that a bit of a non sequitur? Only if when you are in Rome, they do as you do. Within limits, I tend to adopt the [mores and folkways](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mores) of my surroundings out of respect for others and myself. If this were a New Orleans funeral with a Dixieland band playing, my behavior would be rather ebullient. (I don’t think [non sequitur](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non_sequitur_%28logic%29) means what you think it means.) ---
**Author:** ![robert\_columbia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@robert\_columbia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robert_columbia)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2011, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-a-tourist-or-worse-got-disrespectful-at-the-tomb-of-the-unknowns-arlington/602363/58 "2011-11-14T21:59:59Z")
> [@jtgain](#): > > I could definitely see that for trespassing on the tomb, but what about for protocol violations like laughing or refusing to stand? Could they really arrest someone for simply staying seated? And how does the guard tell the difference between someone who is simply being a disrespectful asshole versus someone with a genuine disability (obviously a wheelchair would qualify but something more subtle)? I would guess that if it happened, there would be hell to pay to the media and public opinion. It would be especially problematic if there were ideological reasons for remaining seated or for not being outwardly respectful to the tomb. E.g. “Tomb Guard assaults and arrests Quakers in Arlington - Army slammed by anti-war movement.” ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2011, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-a-tourist-or-worse-got-disrespectful-at-the-tomb-of-the-unknowns-arlington/602363/59 "2011-11-15T01:02:09Z")
> [@SeaCanary](#): > > Only if when you are in Rome, they do as you do. > > Within limits, I tend to adopt the [mores and folkways](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mores) of my surroundings out of respect for others and myself. If this were a New Orleans funeral with a Dixieland band playing, my behavior would be rather ebullient. > > (I don’t think [non sequitur](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non_sequitur_%28logic%29) means what you think it means.) No, I know perfectly well what it means. A: “Sometimes people laugh because they have an uncontrollable urge to laugh, not because they intend to disturb other people’s notions of propriety.” B: “There are social notions of propriety that demand that people don’t laugh.” B is a non sequitur in the sense that it completely fails to address A in any meaningful or logical sense. Cayuga’s point is that laughing in a situation in which it is considered inappropriate to laugh is (1) not necessarily a sign of a defective character, (2) not necessarily a sign of caused by an intent to show disrespect or to “laugh at” others present, (3) not necessarily entirely under the control of the person, and (4) not so strange or unusual that people here should consider it inexplicable. See, there _are_ reasons why someone might laugh when it’s considered socially inappropriate and the snarky attacks on character in this thread are seriously disproportionate. Merely repeating the assertion that there are situations in which some might consider the behaviour inappropriate does nothing to address these points. Furthermore, the suggestion by some in this that members of the U.S. Army might resort to potentially injurious or even deadly uses of force is alarming, disproportionate, and reflects a lack of a sense of proportion. I would expect that park police (or the guards themselves) would do nothing other than cart the offenders away, just like in any other situation of public disturbance. Showing disrespect for a military ceremony, whether intentional or not, does not call for a vengeful application of force. And I would expect our military – indeed, I have the degree of respect for the military to expect – that there would be no risk of that happening. ---
**Author:** ![SeaCanary](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@SeaCanary](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaCanary)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2011, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-a-tourist-or-worse-got-disrespectful-at-the-tomb-of-the-unknowns-arlington/602363/60 "2011-11-15T01:22:03Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > Furthermore, the suggestion by some in this that members of the U.S. Army might resort to potentially injurious or even deadly uses of force is alarming, disproportionate, and reflects a lack of a sense of proportion. I would expect that park police (or the guards themselves) would do nothing other than cart the offenders away, just like in any other situation of public disturbance. I agree. > [@Acsenray](#): > > Showing disrespect for a military ceremony, whether intentional or not, does not call for a vengeful application of force. And I would expect our military – indeed, I have the degree of respect for the military to expect – that there would be no risk of that happening. I agree. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-a-tourist-or-worse-got-disrespectful-at-the-tomb-of-the-unknowns-arlington/602363.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-a-tourist-or-worse-got-disrespectful-at-the-tomb-of-the-unknowns-arlington/602363.md?page=4)