Wisconsin Firefighters Dishonor LODD For Political Stunt

Firefighting, whether you work on a volunteer fire department or you work full time as a career firefighter, has many traditions, some which date back to the creation of fire departments.
One tradition that just about every fire department in the United States is when a firefighter is killed in the line of duty or dies of sickness related to firefighting. the funeral of a firefighter is full of tradition, from the time the firefighter dies to the time they are buried.
Some traditions are that the body of the firefighter is rarely left alone, from the time the body is removed from the scene or hospital until the firefighter is buried.
At the cemetery, there is usually the ringing of the bell, symbolizing that the firefighter has returned home to God after their final run, or something to that nature. To see some of these traditions, see the movie Back Draft which shows parts of a firefighters funeral.
But one of the biggest traditions is the procession for the firefighter. The firefighter's casket usually rides in the back of the engine they rode in or in the hose compartment of an engine. In the back of the of the engine, is usually the family and then a large contingent of firefighters marching behind the truck. If they don't march, then the family ride in limo's followed by a large parade of fire trucks from the firefighter's department and trucks from other departments.
Almost always, there will be a contingent of a pipe and drum honor guard consisting firefighters who play the bag pipes and drums. They will lead the casket into the church, out of the church, during a parade when they walk and at the cemetery. The procession with the pipes and drums is one of the biggest traditions in firefighting.
Having said all of this, in Wisconsin, during the protests regarding the anti-collective bargaining bill, there was a funeral procession by firefighters, while invoking those firefighters who were killed in the line of duty. The firefighters who were playing instruments were in kilts while the firefighters in the back of the musicians were in dress uniforms and paraded as they would during a firefighters funeral.



These firefighters who participated in the protests with their procession and parades cheapens the firefighting tradition of the firefighter parade honoring their dead comrade during a funeral. The only thing these firefighters were missing was a dead firefighter, a casket and fire truck.
I do understand the firefighters union being pissed off about losing some collective bargaining rights. I am undergoing the same thing here in Nevada. But you do not cheapen an old firefighting tradition for political reasons. It cheapens the tradition and cheapens the death of a firefighter when these parades are done for political reasons.
These firefighters were wrong in what they did and they owe their fellow firefighters an apology.