# 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:** 11\ **Page:** 5
**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 26, 2012, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-a-tourist-or-worse-got-disrespectful-at-the-tomb-of-the-unknowns-arlington/602363/81 "2012-11-26T17:50:44Z")
So far as I’m concerned, that’s still an argument that work-sponsored outings are a bad idea. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2012, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-a-tourist-or-worse-got-disrespectful-at-the-tomb-of-the-unknowns-arlington/602363/82 "2012-11-26T18:23:31Z")
> [@Monty](#): > > it’s supposed to be a free country. Nobody suppressed her right to free speech, but it pissed off a number of people who are using their right to free speech. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2012, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-a-tourist-or-worse-got-disrespectful-at-the-tomb-of-the-unknowns-arlington/602363/83 "2012-11-26T19:54:26Z")
It’s a prank that backfired. Even if it weren’t a prank, civil disobedience is a time-honored right in this country. The right to express oneself, however douchey it may be, is a cornerstone of our Constitution. The last ten years of worship for the military has been, for me, somewhat less than heart-warming. In light of that, I had to smile at the cheekiness of the photo. ---
**Author:** ![chappachula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d2c977/32.png) [@chappachula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chappachula)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2012, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-a-tourist-or-worse-got-disrespectful-at-the-tomb-of-the-unknowns-arlington/602363/84 "2012-11-26T20:17:39Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > civil disobedience is a time-honored right in this country. The right to express oneself is a cornerstone of our Constitution. . Look at the readers’ comments on the linked facebook page. One of them says “freedom of speech does not mean freedom from consequences.” She is free to be a douche in front of millions of people. And millions of people are free to criticize her. But public criticism can be fatal for her employer–which is a charitible organization that gets its funding from donations, and therfore is very,very concerned about its public image.. This wasn’t a teenage prank–she is a 30 year old woman, who should be responsible enough to know that actions have consequences. Acting rudely and embarrrassing your employer while you are getting paid on company time? Not smart. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2012, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-a-tourist-or-worse-got-disrespectful-at-the-tomb-of-the-unknowns-arlington/602363/85 "2012-11-26T22:10:11Z")
> [@chappachula](#): > > Look at the readers’ comments on the linked facebook page. One of them says “freedom of speech does not mean freedom from consequences.” > She is free to be a douche in front of millions of people. And millions of people are free to criticize her. > But public criticism can be fatal for her employer–which is a charitible organization that gets its funding from donations, and therfore is very,very concerned about its public image.. > > This wasn’t a teenage prank–she is a 30 year old woman, who should be responsible enough to know that actions have consequences. Acting rudely and embarrrassing your employer while you are getting paid on company time? Not smart. I didn’t say she was a _smart_ douche. Publishing it on FB was not the act of a thinking, working adult. I wonder why it is that people who have grown up with the Internet, and knowing that everything you publish on it lives on forever, still insist on publishing every stupid or criminal act they can manage to come up with. Her employer would be right to demand that she apologize, and to reprimand her. But firing seems rather drastic. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2012, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-a-tourist-or-worse-got-disrespectful-at-the-tomb-of-the-unknowns-arlington/602363/86 "2012-11-26T22:39:59Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > But firing seems rather drastic. Possibly, but working in a non-profit that relies on contributions from the general public may require certain responses in this day and age. What is drastic in one set of circumstances may be prudent in others. ---
**Author:** ![the\_diego](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7bcc69/32.png) [@the\_diego](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_diego)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2012, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-a-tourist-or-worse-got-disrespectful-at-the-tomb-of-the-unknowns-arlington/602363/87 "2012-11-27T01:24:21Z")
He/she will be buried in a fifth tomb. ---
**Author:** ![chorpler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chorpler/32/2888_2.png) [@chorpler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chorpler)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2012, 7:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-a-tourist-or-worse-got-disrespectful-at-the-tomb-of-the-unknowns-arlington/602363/88 "2012-11-27T07:47:49Z")
Apparently [not only was she fired, but so was her supervisor, who took the photo](http://gawker.com/5962796/happy-now-good-employee-lindsey-stone-fired-over-facebook-photo). Wow. ---
**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:** [December 28, 2012, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-a-tourist-or-worse-got-disrespectful-at-the-tomb-of-the-unknowns-arlington/602363/89 "2012-12-28T01:53:17Z")
More on guarding the Tomb, even during Hurricane Sandy: [Sentinels Stand Guard At Tomb Of The Unknown During Holidays (VIDEO) | HuffPost Impact](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/27/soldiers-guard-tomb-of-the-unknown_n_2364932.html?ncid=webmail21) ---
**Author:** ![urrisned](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/aca169/32.png) [@urrisned](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/urrisned)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2014, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-a-tourist-or-worse-got-disrespectful-at-the-tomb-of-the-unknowns-arlington/602363/90 "2014-03-12T01:11:16Z")
> [@ssg schwartz](#): > > thank you, ma’am, and on this veteran’s day, i thank your family. > > Sfc schwartz and when you get to the top of the hill, look back for the ones that, hambugerhill, odonnell, my f/fathers went to the us 1650+ i think we have been in them all going by the records , ya johnny o donnell ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2014, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-a-tourist-or-worse-got-disrespectful-at-the-tomb-of-the-unknowns-arlington/602363/91 "2014-03-12T03:04:13Z")
Since this is an old thread, and the post that revived it hasn’t contributed any new factual information on the question, I’m going to close it. Colibri General Questions Moderator [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=4)