Soldier Discriminated Against Because of Military Uniform

Soldier Discriminated Against Because of Military Uniform

www.wbbjtv.com

A soldier in Brownsville claims he was discriminated against at a convenience store because he was wearing a U.S. Army Uniform.

"I paid for my stuff and he said take that (expletive) off. He was pointing at the army patch saying where he was from, they didn't like that. And then he shook his head then he did a "praise Allah," said Williams.

(visit the link for the full news article)

I understand the business owner has the right to refuse service to anyone. It is a private business. However, the business is close to a military installation. IF they do not want to serve soldiers, maybe, they should relocate their business.

I have lived all over the world and US as a military spouse and accompanied my husband into many businesses while he was in uniform and he was never treated with anything but respect.

The article said the soldier felt discriminated against, and at first I thought that was extreme. However, had the soldier gone into that store and made comments about the cashier being muslim, you can guarentee it would be called discrimination.

Freedom of speech. Freedom of Religion. I get it. It angers me to see a soldier treated badly anywhere.

What are your thoughts?

www.wbbjtv.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

Well, it depends on your point of view really don't it?

Are they hero's serving their country, or foreign terrorists, aiding and abetting in breaking international law?

nothing new or surprising ... happened all the time during the 60's and 70's during vietnam... experienced it a few times.. learned when was stateside never go off base in uniform... took to going off base wearing black or grey samue ... ( traditional japanese clothes )
all can say is charlie mike and learn to live with it because sooner or later if your military you will experience it... some things never change...

So he doesn't like the army. His choice. We defend everyone's freedom, not just the people we agree with. Give the troop a straw and tell him to " suck it up and drive on".

Myself, I would have smiled and the cashier, said "schoo kran, kelba" (I can't spell in sufti) and went on my way.

reply to post by Expat888


i know this is off topic but where did you get your samue? the ones i have found since leaving japan have been insanly expensive.

hrrhrrm,.... sorry main topic when i was in the military i got this kind of reaction all the time, just last year the usaf ruled that use of usaf uniforms offbase in overseas locations was not authorized. presumably to make us not giant targets for extremism. in any case most of us didn't join to be smiled at or admired, we joined because somewhere in our hearts or minds we felt that we should do something to give back to the great country that allowed us to be born in (some) freedom, because honestly were still better off then most places in the world. so though i can understand bieng upset that someone said something bad to him i also have to say grow a pair. you went through the mental torture of basic and the tech school training same as anyone else. at least until they changed it and made it completely pathetic (cant hit trainees, cant cuss at trainees how the hell are they supposed to be hardened into real men if you cant abuse their little egos to the crushing point? how do you even expect them to not soil themselves when the enemy is firing rounds through the windscreen of your poorly built hummer???). either way always remember "sticks and stones" and grow a pair.

reply to post by Sinny


I agree. Political correctess gone mad.

I actively discuss my opposing view to war, particularly with all and any who are part of the war machine....gun in hand, armourer or pen pusher, they all feed the machine and drain the very thing they claim they fight for. The ignorance and denial is amazing. The huge diversion of taxes from regular citizens has to stop, and the more these false heros are reminded by those who have more perspective, the sooner it will stop.

reply to post by 200Plus


There's a lot of things you guys defend.

Freedom ain't one of them nowadays, unfortunately.

Originally posted by 200Plus
We defend everyone's freedom

By sapping every cent possible from those who keep the home fires burning?

The only freedom I see being defended is the freedom to fug up the planet with meglomania and illegal wars regardless of what citizens want.

Wow, that's amazing. The first Rambo movie is on T.V right now and it's the scene where is is told to leave the town because of what he is wearing - namely a US army uniform. Funny coincidence, but yeah this is pretty appalling, if true.

Reading through the responses thus far, and I think one major point has been overlooked.

Discrimination is discrimination no matter which side it happens on. If the story was the complete opposite, a soldier telling the shop owner that his Muslim attire was offensive and to take it off, what would be the response.

People will have differing opinions on a wide range of topics, and that is wonderful, but let's maintain some intellectual honesty. Discrimination is discrimination. Plain and simple.

reply to post by nerbot


As you sit in your comfortable suburban home, you are free to have any opinion you want. In some countries you are free to voice those opinions in public (and the safety of the net). Never for a second doubt that the freedoms you enjoy are provided to you. You earn what money you are allowed to keep, you earn your reputation among your peers.Your rights and freedoms are not earned by you, granted by God, nor are they the result of the benevolence of your fellow man. Men have fought and men have died to secure those freedoms and rights that you view as something that is owed to you.

Preach about the "war machine" all you want, it gets old. Just as old as soldiers trying to explain things you will never understand. I just couldn't let your post go without a Relpy.

reply to post by theinsolentfish


had brought a couple pair with me along with couple pair hakama / keigogi ... after my parents and I were released from the american internment camp where I was born they returned to japan .. when was 18 I went to amerika .. still get mine in japan or my wife makes them for me ... you might try looking up a shop called silk road in kyoto they supply for temples in kyoto and last time visited they told me they have a web shop now ( most shops in japan now have web shop in addition to normal shop) ... anyhow apologies not much help and to o.p for minor sidetrack ..

maybe he was ex marine....they don't like anyone but themselves

After reading the story.... This guy is just as wrong as the a$$wipe who said it too him... I guess that since this is Tenn and the guy is a Muslim wouldn't have anything to do with it......

frankly this make the soldier and the clerk look like inconsiderate morons.....

it is the clerks freedom to tell the soldier what he did...

But the soldier clearly doesn't get it .... he wants to limit the rights of citizens for which he fought

grow up and realize is not risk-free or insult-free

Originally posted by youdidntseeme
Reading through the responses thus far, and I think one major point has been overlooked.

Discrimination is discrimination no matter which side it happens on. If the story was the complete opposite, a soldier telling the shop owner that his Muslim attire was offensive and to take it off, what would be the response.

People will have differing opinions on a wide range of topics, and that is wonderful, but let's maintain some intellectual honesty. Discrimination is discrimination. Plain and simple.

how is this discrimination? He got what he paid for and went on his way... free speech is not discrimination

This is being made into a bigger deal then it is. I can understand as a soldier who risked your life to defend the freedoms of U.S. citizens, you expect to be treated with some respect. Well you do deserve respect.

But if you happen to be around someone who's from country "x", and you're wearing a patch of country "x" on your uniform, signifying you served there, possibly scared people or killed people there in the process of fighting a war, you might very well have killed or made life hell for his family and friends and countrymen.

Your patch offended him. Understandably so. You're still a hero, you've still earned respect. You served your country well. You've dealt with bullets and bombs in a warzone for months on end. One man with a sense of pride in his background makes it clear he isn't a fan of your heroics? Understand why, and quit shopping at his establishment.

Your uniform conveys heroism to some, and murderer to others. Remember that.

It looks like the source for this story comes from this Facebook page.

In that page there's something that was omitted from the other source, that part of the guy from the store employee "crossed his chest" after saying praise Allah.

Originally posted by youdidntseeme
People will have differing opinions on a wide range of topics, and that is wonderful, but let's maintain some intellectual honesty. Discrimination is discrimination. Plain and simple.

Well the next time someone in a uniform kicks your door in, and drags away a family member.

You remember to put a flower in the rifle barrel of the next soldier you see wearing the same uniform.

reply to post by Tw0Sides


Every morning before I put on my uniform to go kick in doors I pour myself a bowl of baby hearts and use the blood of innocent children as the milk. It has one billion grams of protein and it jacks me up for all the baby-killing, family member dragging-off that I am about to do for the day.

When I get home I kick my dog, slap my cat, and punch my wife in the face.

Then I play call of duty because I just can't get enough violence in a day and since they assign me only so many American doors to kick, and foreign innocent bystanders to shoot indiscriminately, I have to supplement with COD.

I dream every night of all the Americans whom I've put in FEMA concentration camps over my doorkicking, baby heart eating career and wake up smiling that I get to go out and do it again.


I can see why this soldier was treated the way he was. He deserved it. Because everyone of us does this for a living. Hell half the murderin' we do is part of the new PT program.