MSNBC Reporting: Pope will get a "21 Gun Salute" at the White House...

[KoKo]

Does anyone else think this is appropriate? He's a religious leader... Who get's 21 Gun Salutes except to honor dead Presidents? :shrug:

[DS1]

1. Yeah, that's odd

Maybe a Military parade and flyover ala 1970s Red Square is also in order

[peekaloo]

2. One word to da Pope:

DUCK!

[meegbear]

3. It's valid ...

<snip>

Today the national salute of 21 guns is fired in honor of a national flag, the sovereign or chief of state of a foreign nation, a member of a reigning royal family, and the President, ex-President and President-elect of the United States. It is also fired at noon of the day of the funeral of a President, ex-President, or President-elect.

Gun salutes are also rendered to other military and civilian leaders of this and other nations. The number of guns is based on their protocol rank. These salutes are always in odd numbers.

http://www.history.army.mil/faq/salute.htm

[KoKo]

12. Thanks.....I guess I should have looked it up before posting. I wonder if all the other

visitors to the WH have gotten this...who are heads of state or if it's optional. Somehow I don't remember every foreign leader who has visted Bush getting such royal treatment...except the Queen. But, I probably missed it somewhere along the way.

It bothers me a bit that this is a Religious leader...even if the Vatican is a Sovereign Country...and he is the "leader of it."

[Kadie]

4. Where is Cheney?

:scared:

[eShirl]

5. He's also a head of state, technically.

[Crabby Appleton]

13. Indeed he is. nt

[bdamomma]

6. what do you expect from an administration that does not know

how to respect certain formalities for either the Pope or certain dignitaries. Again this stupid man will embarrass us all.

[JDPriestly]

7. Oh well, they crowned Rev. Moon, so I guess the pope gets guns.

Are leaders of other religious organizations or nations to get this same treatment? Why this fuss over the Pope? The Founding Fathers hated Catholicism. That is one thing that Adams and Jefferson agreed on. Read their letters on this issue.

[LynnTheDem]

8. How very American.

For rightwingnuts.

[VP505]

9. I don't know if it is or not

but I have problem with a religious leader glad-handing with a mass murder/war criminal and advocate of torture, unless he is there to speak out against and condemn such actions.

[stellanoir]

10. In keeping with the presumptive Prince of Peace's doctrine . . . not.

I'd expect nothing less from these hypocrites who masquerade as Christians who advocate torture and launch preemptive wars based on thoroughly bogus intelligence (aka sheer stupidity).

Who would Jesus kill. . .? Indeed.

[fascisthunter]

11. Now Aint That Spiritual

:crazy:

frickin nuts

[Zueda]

14. Don't all service members get the 21 gun salute?

My grandfather had one at his funeral.

[lynnertic]

20. I think that's seven guns.

I did funeral details when I was in the service.

[GreatCaesarsGhost]

15. pope meets with bishops then meets with bush-ops

[gear_head]

16. a Head of State should get, a how many gun salute? n/t

[lynnertic]

21. 21

[L. Coyote]

17. But will he apologize for the 60 million dead Americans killed by European invasion?

Guns filled the treasury of the Vatican for centuries, with the
Church's one-fifth share of all the slaves, gold, and other loot of the conquest.

Don't expect any huge outcry from the Pope!

Where is the shame and regret for dividing up the world among the Catholic Princes?

[Winterblues]

18. I heard they were going all out with "Military Pageantry"

Military ceremony for the Pope...Only a Republican could consider this in good taste...

[lynnertic]

19. heads of state get 21 gun salutes.