HAVELOCK, NC –69-year-old Gary Dean, a United States Air Force Veteran, used to work at Food Lion in the city until recently. He was apparently told that wearing a face mask with the American flag offended someone, and he would have to remove it. Being the true patriot that he is, he told the management team that was unacceptable, and quit.
Gary Dean says he left his job at the Food Lion in Havelock, North Carolina, and is shocked the American flag would be offensive to anyone, especially in a military town.https://t.co/yHtbRCLXz2
— WWMT-TV (@wwmtnews) September 4, 2020
The city of Havelock is apparently well known for being a military town. It is the home of the Marine Corps Air Station Cherry point. The Air Station is the world’s largest Marine Corps air station and is only 40 miles from Camp Lejeune.
An area which should be very patriotic and welcoming to the military showed their true colors, at least as far as the Food Lion store goes. Dean said that he was shocked that anyone in that town could possibly be offended by his American flag face covering.
Dean said:
“Apparently corporate came down and said ‘Somebody was offended by the image of the American flag on the face covering.”
Dean noted that he had worn the American flag face covering for months without anyone complaining. When the store told him that he was required to remove the covering, he had enough, and said that he could not follow that rule. As a result, he walked off of the job.
Dean said:
“As a veteran, my dad being a World War II hero, my best friend killed in Vietnam, out of respect for them I can’t just say no, I’ll take my flag and put it in my pocket. I had to quit, out of principle.”
ABC News in North Carolina made contact with Food Lion about their forcing Dean to remove his mask. They said that they respect the American flag, which clearly is not the case, but that their policy:
“Prohibits associates from wearing clothing with writing, insignia, or symbols.”
Dean understands that the blame does not necessarily rest with the management team of the store in Havelock, but he does believe that corporate management is totality disrespecting the American flag and what it stands for, i.e., freedom, and the lives lost of the military members who ensured that freedom.
Dean said:
“I love this country. I love that my dad went off and fought for my country, nearly got killed for this country but came back and raised a family. I love everything about that flag. So, yeah, that is my priority.”
Food Lion had the opportunity to make a stand and let everyone know that they are proud to be an American Company. It is one thing not to take sides in a political campaign, that is understood and is just good business.
Air Force Veteran Gary Dean quit his job at Food Lion in Havelock, North Carolina, claiming the store manager told him he could not wear an American flag mask because someone was offended. https://t.co/z4qECEyDnQ
— PORT AMERICANA (@AmericanaPort) September 3, 2020
It is another thing all together when the American company requires an American veteran to remove a face covering with a picture of the American flag.
Food Lion said their policy:
“At Food Lion, we have great respect for the American flag. Like many other organizations, we also have policies that guide the attire and conduct of associates in the workplace. As part of our effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and to protect the well-being of our associates and customers, we’ve required associates to either wear reusable face masks provided by Food Lion or choose to wear a different face covering while working.
“However, all face coverings must adhere to standards set by the company and communicated to each of our more than 77,000 associates. The policy prohibits associates from wearing clothing with writing, insignia or symbols. The dress code is meant to ensure a consistent and professional representation of our associates inside of our stores.”
Whatever Food Lion’s excuse, not allowing a veteran or any other American citizen to wear a face covering which depicts the American flag, is well, anti-American. We will have to see if the patriotic customers of Food Lion agree.
In case you think it’s an isolated incident – think again. Here’s what happened in Georgia just last week:
ATLANTA, GA – On Aug. 23, a Federal Air Marshal was reportedly threatened with being stopped from boarding a Frontier Airlines flight over an issue regarding face masks.
But it’s not your typical mask fiasco in the sense of someone refusing to wear a face mask or face covering – this Federal Air Marshal actually had a gaiter-style face covering on.
The problem was that it had an American flag on it.
A Frontier Airlines gate agent told the Federal Air Marshal to remove it because it could make other passengers uneasy.
@gregkellyusa Our brother, a Federal Air Marshal, was denied boarding by Frontier Airlines due to his American Flag Mask! Cover this Story!!!
Not acceptable #boycottfrontier 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/s7RgSXKO0A
— Sonya LaBosco (@LaboscoSonya) August 24, 2020
The incident took place at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on Aug. 23 while the Federal Air Marshal was preparing to board a Frontier Airlines flight.
He was wearing a gaiter-style face covering which bore an image of the American flag. A Frontier Airlines gate agent stopped him, stated that he needed to wear a different mask, and handed him a disposable one.
Thinking that it was an issue related to the gaiter-style face covering perhaps not being up to snuff for the airline, the Federal Air Marshal took the disposable mask, put it on, and then put the gaiter-style face covering back on over the disposable mask.
Once again, the gate agent stopped him. The gate agent told him that he had to completely remove the American flag face covering because it might make other passengers uneasy.
Today a Frontier Airlines gate agent denied a passenger with THIS face mask from boarding a flight at ATL. However folks with BLM masks could board. Passenger was told his mask might make some passengers uneasy. pic.twitter.com/lw9IvZyNBL
— Jeff Bean (@Beaner_65) August 23, 2020
So here’s the gate agent’s absurd logic in a simple breakdown:
The image of the American flag on a face covering might offend people boarding a plane in Georgia who are presumably mostly American passengers. Passengers therefore aren’t allowed to wear any article of clothing that displays the image of our nation’s flag.
Furthermore, this direction came from an employee of Frontier Airlines, which is headquartered in Denver, Colorado – you know, in America.
Not only that, but the gate agent’s creating a scene involving a passenger the gate agent presumably knows is a Federal Air Marshal presents an enormous risk to blowing cover: a Federal Air Marshal’s presence aboard flights is meant to be clandestine from other passengers.
I had an opportunity to speak with current Federal Air Marshal Agency President William “Bill” Beller, who also serves as the recruitment director for the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association (FLEOA). When speaking with him about the Frontier Airlines face mask incident, he stated the following:
“[The Federal Air Marshals] are there to do a job. We’re there to protect America. We’re there to ensure there’s not another 9/11 type of attack on our country.”
Beller continued from there, noting the ridiculousness of an airline employee trying to conflate the American flag as some kind of offensive symbol while boarding a flight in the United States:
“Basically, denying one of my coworkers for wearing an American flag – the flag is part of our nation, right? It’s part of who we are as Americans. I don’t think that’s any derogatory statement towards anybody.”
Beller also commented on how reckless the display was, in that the gate agent could have created a scenario where the Federal Air Marshal’s cover would be blown:
“The gate agent knew who he was – knew who the Air Marshal was – because they’re briefed prior to them boarding. We have to let the crew know. What’s sad about it is that we’re there for their protection. The gate agent, the crew – in flight. The Air Marshals are there for a reason.”
When addressing the idea that the current “climate” justifies not allowing his colleague to wear the American flag on board the plane, Beller stated that trying to mix up the Federal Air Marshals with any ongoing sources of ire from protesters and rioters is silly:
“The audacity of someone to compare us to what’s going on is not accurate.”
The National Association of Police Organizations also caught wind of the incident, and the organization’s president, Michael McHale, sent a letter to Frontier Airlines’ CEO about the debacle.
Copy of letter written by McHale
McHale pointed out that for the gate agent to single out an American flag mask seemed extremely biased, considering that the same gate agent didn’t cause a scene for those wearing Black Lives Matter masks:
“The gate agent told him to remove the American flag mask or he would not be allowed to board the plane as it would create issues with other passengers. Meanwhile, several other passengers with Black Lives Matter masks boarded the plane.”
Summarizing the nonsense perfectly, McHale explained that all this gate agent accomplished was to portray anti-American ideals – and that Frontier Airlines would be complicit in that act if left unchecked:
“By allowing actions like this to go on without censure, you are endorsing Anti-American sentiment. Wearing an American flag face covering is not a political statement; it is proudly showing support for our country. The gate agent made it political, particularly given the other masks that were allowed without issue on the plane.”
Reportedly, Frontier Airlines responded and said that the employee in question received some “training.” What that training consisted of wasn’t disclosed, but if it was anything less than “Don’t do that again or else you’re fired,” then it simply isn’t up to par.
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