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Weapon Imagery in Drum Corps


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This surfaced a few years ago after Sandy Hook and I’m surprised it did not surface after Parkland. People are sensitive to the reality of gun violence, and one corps did stop using rifles at one point. 

Since my favorite years of drum corps fall between 1979-89, I appreciate good rifle maneuvering. This would have been about the time of great rifle lines, 27th, Phantom, Guardsmen, North Star, with Anaheim Kingsmen only a distant memory and Cavies strongest guard yet to come. We don’t have reliable videos of the time but BAC had a rifle line that packed a punch too. Because I am a traditionalist, I do not want to see rifles go.

Now, regarding rifles used today. We don’t try and get into political or religious debates on this site, I know. That being said, when I was a teacher, I taught in an inner city school in one of Boston’s most challenging areas, one that when it was in its glory was home of the St. Kevin’s Emerald Knights. I lost a student to random gun violence. I witnessed a murder on a subway train and testified in court as a witness for the prosecution. As a priest I have celebrated funerals of gang members and people who have died due to gang violence. I have opinions on gun laws, but I will say as someone with some experience here, spinning rifles on a drum corps field does not condone gun violence any more than hanging a soldier boy Christmas ornament does.

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7 minutes ago, George Dixon said:

We need more weapons. Battle axes and cannons please! Talk about GE 

When BAC had strains of the 1812 Overture in their show, I told an instructor who sat near me at a show I wanted cannons and church bells. He asked me if I planned on donating them.:rolleyes:

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5 minutes ago, Tim K said:

This surfaced a few years ago after Sandy Hook and I’m surprised it did not surface after Parkland. People are sensitive to the reality of gun violence, and one corps did stop using rifles at one point. 

Since my favorite years of drum corps fall between 1979-89, I appreciate good rifle maneuvering. This would have been about the time of great rifle lines, 27th, Phantom, Guardsmen, North Star, with Anaheim Kingsmen only a distant memory and Cavies strongest guard yet to come. We don’t have reliable videos of the time but BAC had a rifle line that packed a punch too. Because I am a traditionalist, I do not want to see rifles go.

Now, regarding rifles used today. We don’t try and get into political or religious debates on this site, I know. That being said, when I was a teacher, I taught in an inner city school in one of Boston’s most challenging areas, one that when it was in its glory was home of the St. Kevin’s Emerald Knights. I lost a student to random gun violence. I witnessed a murder on a subway train and testified in court as a witness for the prosecution. As a priest I have celebrated funerals of gang members and people who have died due to gang violence. I have opinions on gun laws, but I will say as someone with some experience here, spinning rifles on a drum corps field does not condone gun violence any more than hanging a soldier boy Christmas ornament does.

and wasn't it 78-81 that Mr. Royer had Vanguard spinning bedposts, flags and hulu hoops!

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5 minutes ago, Tim K said:

This surfaced a few years ago after Sandy Hook and I’m surprised it did not surface after Parkland. People are sensitive to the reality of gun violence, and one corps did stop using rifles at one point. 

Since my favorite years of drum corps fall between 1979-89, I appreciate good rifle maneuvering. This would have been about the time of great rifle lines, 27th, Phantom, Guardsmen, North Star, with Anaheim Kingsmen only a distant memory and Cavies strongest guard yet to come. We don’t have reliable videos of the time but BAC had a rifle line that packed a punch too. Because I am a traditionalist, I do not want to see rifles go.

Now, regarding rifles used today. We don’t try and get into political or religious debates on this site, I know. That being said, when I was a teacher, I taught in an inner city school in one of Boston’s most challenging areas, one that when it was in its glory was home of the St. Kevin’s Emerald Knights. I lost a student to random gun violence. I witnessed a murder on a subway train and testified in court as a witness for the prosecution. As a priest I have celebrated funerals of gang members and people who have died due to gang violence. I have opinions on gun laws, but I will say as someone with some experience here, spinning rifles on a drum corps field does not condone gun violence any more than hanging a soldier boy Christmas ornament does.

Thank You for all you do/ did. with that said the Kids of Parkland also performed with a very supportive welcome back to WGI. I don't think this will become a bigger issue. But I guess we can't say never.

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On the use of rifles and sabres I can see why it is offensive. I think a lot of the designer color guard types came up using them but I think eventually those things will also go. I mean whole corps are dressing in what looks like night gowns now. I don't really care about visual things quite as much as the music which is now starting to suck quite a lot this year. Too many corps are playing music that just isn't interesting going for a more commercial flavor. That is what really sucks. The impossible music is what always attracted me to corps. 

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6 minutes ago, Tim K said:

This surfaced a few years ago after Sandy Hook and I’m surprised it did not surface after Parkland. People are sensitive to the reality of gun violence, and one corps did stop using rifles at one point. 

Since my favorite years of drum corps fall between 1979-89, I appreciate good rifle maneuvering. This would have been about the time of great rifle lines, 27th, Phantom, Guardsmen, North Star, with Anaheim Kingsmen only a distant memory and Cavies strongest guard yet to come. We don’t have reliable videos of the time but BAC had a rifle line that packed a punch too. Because I am a traditionalist, I do not want to see rifles go.

Now, regarding rifles used today. We don’t try and get into political or religious debates on this site, I know. That being said, when I was a teacher, I taught in an inner city school in one of Boston’s most challenging areas, one that when it was in its glory was home of the St. Kevin’s Emerald Knights. I lost a student to random gun violence. I witnessed a murder on a subway train and testified in court as a witness for the prosecution. As a priest I have celebrated funerals of gang members and people who have died due to gang violence. I have opinions on gun laws, but I will say as someone with some experience here, spinning rifles on a drum corps field does not condone gun violence any more than hanging a soldier boy Christmas ornament does.

Didn't MSD weapon line when they went to WGIs this April?  

April Gilligan Martinez well knows from Cadets days how GH tried to do away with rifles because of his political views.

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10 minutes ago, mfrontz said:

This was a huge topic back in 2001, when George Hopkins, noted apostle of nonviolence, excised rifles from the 2001 show and stated that Drum Corps needed to move away from military traditions and imagery in order to remain viable, citing Rosie O'Donnell as a reference.

Also known for being a model of consistent thought, Hopkins programmed a World War II military show the next year, as a patriotic response to 9/11.

Feel free to search 'George Hopkins rifles' on rec.arts.marching.drumcorps, but don't wade in too deeply. The summer of 2001 on RAMD was more dangerous and violent than any DCI color guard armed with sabres and rifles.

And then did away with them AGAIN for the 2013 Side x Side show, where there was a curved thing and lighting bolt thing (and I think a non-sabre). After much pontification, unfortunately written press releases, and associated hot air about marketing them to the larger pageantry community as a replacement for weapons, they vanished and rifles and sabres were back again in 2014.

No matter the origins, so much technique is centered on the traditional weapons, that attempting to replace them is like telling someone to use a fun noodle instead of a tennis racquet. 

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17 minutes ago, GUARDLING said:

not as silly as you might think from the outside of the activity. I have done things that wouldn't allow the weapons in and had to figure something out $$$$$s made me not say WTF...lol

Personally, I don't think anything will change anytime soon

keep on running. 

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Ohhh thats right. I remember the Rosie thing and them using some kind of weird spin thingy. Then followed it up with the jingo fantastic show I simply can not stand.

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