Female veteran shamed for parking in veterans-only spot

[RandySF]

WILMINGTON, N.C. - An Air Force veteran who served in Kuwait found a note on her car Friday criticizing her for parking in a veterans-only parking spot in Wilmington.

Mary Claire Caine told WECT-TV that she returned to her car from shopping at Harris Teeter to find a note plastered to her front window from a person identifying themselves as a "Wounded Vet."

It read, "Maybe [you] can't read the sign you parked in front of ... This space is reserved for those who fought for America ... not you. Thanks, Wounded Vet."

Caine, who served in Kuwait and on the flight line of the F-117 Nighthawk, said her heart sank.

"The first thing I felt was confusion that there was a mistake, and that I had to talk to this person and ask them why they were so quick to assume I wasn't a veteran and that I was taking privileges that didn't belong to me," Caine said.

http://www.wncn.com/story/27885839/female-veteran-shamed-for-parking-in-veterans-only-spot

[shenmue]

1. Whoever left that note

is a class-A dipshit.

[Terra Alta]

2. I wonder if the person who left the note was really a vet

If he was, surely he must have served alongside some women during his service in the military.

In any case, I hope he has seen this story and is ashamed of himself.

[Scuba]

36. +1

[Kaleva]

49. +2

[VanillaRhapsody]

3. a Dipshit and a sexist pig!

[fishwax]

4. Veterans Only parking spots? I didn't know they had those.

[MrModerate]

17. That was my question . . .

But looking at the photos, it appeared to be a private (restaurant) parking lot rather than a municipal or federal space. So that appears to be an individual choice by the restaurateur.

[karmaqueen]

27. This is at A Harris Teeter Grocery Store in Wilmington NC

We go there all the time. Some time Cars are utilizing It sometime not. My biggest beef with the guy is that He watched her get out of the car . He should have said something if he thought she was wrong. She was not but why wait till she left the scene.

[MrModerate]

90. In fact, somewhat cowardly . . .

Which argues against the person being a veteran.

[KT2000]

28. Our Home Depot has them n/t

[treestar]

93. +1 I've never seen those

It would be tough to enforce.

[Brickbat]

5. Why is this a news story?

[glasshouses]

14. Slow news day

[McCamy Taylor]

21. Example of sexism. It should enlighten folks who forget that women are vets, too.

Like the VA which needs more female providers.

[Rozlee]

25. They definitely should have more female providers.

Although things have gotten better. I remember once back in the 80s when the VA sent me a health survey through the mail to fill out with all these questions to answer such as how many hours of sleep do I get each night, how often do I get up during the night to go to the bathroom, my diet and a variety of other issues. It never asked me any questions related to my pregnancies or reproductive system. I was flummoxed a few weeks after I mailed the questionnaire when I got a response saying I needed to have my prostate checked. The questionnaire had never bothered to ask for my gender. It had just assumed that all the veterans responding would be males.

[jtuck004]

22. Because she contacted the newspaper...

to say (from the link)

...
Caine said she doubts she'll ever find the author of the note, but hopes the person realizes their error.

"I want them to know they owe me and every other female service member who's fighting now and who's fought in the past, an apology for jumping to conclusions," Caine said.
...

Not a terrible idea to remind everyone that people other than men serve their country, regardless of how right or wrong that is. Might not hurt to remind folks that all sorts of religious beliefs, and none, are present as well.

But then, we don't teach the importance of that in school much, perhaps because it is hard to capture the essence with fill in the circle tests.

The story likely won't do any good for the blockhead who left the note, but it might make others think.

[whathehell]

29. Why should it not be?

[snooper2]

56. Well, before the days of the intertubes this wouldn't have been a story

Reporters used to actually "investigate" and "report" on things of importance...

Now with the days of the intertubes everyone is lazy. Lady found note on car...HUGH!

[whathehell]

64. Before the intertubes a LOT of things wouldn't have been a story,

and I doubt you'd object to them all, in fact, I sense your real objection

to this story is it's feminist point, so I'm sorry, but it's at least as much

"story" as lots of others posted here.

P.S. She's not just a "lady", she's a veteran who got shit for not

being a MALE veteran.

[snooper2]

65. My first take was that it was that she wasn't disabled...

If I saw a special parking spot for veterans I would assume that because it is up front and central...um..for people hurt in the line of duty.

[whathehell]

67. Then your complaint should be about parking spaces for veterans, not that

it's not "newsworthy".

[snooper2]

68. I've already spent two much time on this...I'm purging it from my mind LOL

hey, check this out..

Beware of Dog- FAIL

[whathehell]

70. Yeah, losing the argument is always a good time to leave, LOL

You find dead dogs funny...I'm guessing that tells us all we need to know about you.

[snooper2]

71. dog sleepy not deady...

sleepy dog climb over fence with silence LOL

did I lose something? I did lose my stud finder...re-organized the entire garage last weekend and studdy is missy

[whathehell]

79. Gladdy dog sleepy not deady..

Goody.

[Nye Bevan]

6. I've never seen nor heard of "veterans-only" spots. Why does such a thing exist?

Veterans who are disabled would be able to use handicapped spots. Instead of having spots that can be used by perfectly healthy veterans, why not increase the number of handicapped spots so that more of those folks who truly need to park closer are able to do so?

[Recursion]

8. I see them near bases sometimes. The American Legion is against them

but, ultimately, the store can do what it wants with its parking lot.

[dflprincess]

10. It sounds like one of those empty "thank you for your service" gestures American businesses love to

make.

Much easier and cheaper than paying taxes to actually take care of veterans, or maybe hiring a few at a decent wage.

[jeff47]

47. It's not legally enforced. The business just thinks it helps their image.

If you go to a "Babies-R-Us", you'll find "Pregnant Women Only" parking spots. Nothing will happen to you if you park there and are male.

The business just thinks it makes them look better to their customers.

[Fred Sanders]

7. Who goes around identifying themselves as "wounded Vet"? What does that mean?

And is this for real, there are such spots on private property.

[Hekate]

12. The kind of person who writes those spam essays about God-and-Country and emails them to millions

That's who. I don't know of any vets who would sign themselves "Wounded Vet."

[JonLP24]

99. I know many

or relative to the overall vet population a few. I was homeless myself for a time, a lot of shelter services have a special set-up just for veterans, you go through that you meet a lot of other homeless veterans. Myself, I never mention I'm a vet unless it is relevant to the discussion. I also couldn't panhandle, telemarketing, sales I just have too much social anxiety for that kind of thing. Others, not so much. They'll panhandle, have a sign pointed out they're homeless veteran (in some cases, continue to do so after housing), also if they're wounded if they're are and vets with those signs make good company compared to the general sign holding population. $100-$200 a day, often times. Not always, but near US 60 a good chance. Veterans like anyone else identify, feel, speak, and use their experiences differently.

[Hekate]

101. Okay. Sorry I got touchy there for a mo. nt

[glasshouses]

20. You don't see too often but some wounded in theater can request to have a purple heat on the plate

I know a lot of guys that were wounded and never saw them request it on the plate.

At the VFW there's a couple of guys who served in Korea that have it on theirs .
One lost his foot and the other guy half his face

[Fred Sanders]

40. Vets are victims of global wars played out by narcisstic leaders wanting personal power, not unlike

the elderly in America are victims of Fox and it's targetted mental abuse.

Why advertise it?

[phil89]

54. The ones who volunteered

Aren't victims. They chose it.

[Fred Sanders]

55. They then are the victims of war propaganda. Everyone one who went to Iraq qualifies.

[JonLP24]

95. I did but I wasn't a victim of the propaganda

Receiving my selective service registration thingy, joining the military was the last thing I ever thought possible. In march 2003, I was often called "lib dem coward" and "support our troops" on college basketball & Yahoo CSCO message boards. I would be one of the few in the crowd (especially college basketball) to mention my opposition & I'd get surrounded by commie pinko and other insults, half I had no idea what they meant. I watched it all CSPAN, the live coverage, Donahue losing his job, Howard Dean, etc.

Fast forward to 2005, I missed to many days for a data entry job after meeting my ex-wife there and the only real relationship and by far the longest -- others were interested in what I had or using me, she may have but not nearly quite the same level as any other relationship which ended quickly and the ones that lasted a month or more should have been ended sooner -- she had more work experience so she could leave that one off and was hired 1 day without a job. I wasn't so lucky but I certainly did try, almost got a better paying data entry job but fumbled the interview. Always fumbled interviews, I often did work temporary, construction clean-up inhaling Goof-Off with no respirators, chopping 6 ft long weeds in a mobile home complex (got a story to tell with this one), long hour backbreaking minimum wage work.

One day, I was at a bus stop with resume copy on my way to apply for a job, when out-of-the-blue a recruiter comes up and asks, "What job trains for over 100+ different career fields for free?" Said exactly the right words for me, went down with him to try to figure out what I could do to parlay for future employment. 88M or truck driving was the most obvious, plus the $20,000 enlistment bonus helped. Here is the funny thing, I was 18 but never drove or had a license which was a requirement for the MOS. My recruiter? No problem, he took me out in his government car and let me drive around a side street. Next time, was traffic and at Mill & University, I made a right turn on red as the green arrow cars were coming at me. All-in-all, the only thing he really said that was a lie was the being sent to barracks because only thing to do was kick rocks at the motor pool (I head in Hawaii or Germany it was more like this but in Ft. Lewis they certainly found something or we kicked rocks instead of going to the barracks. He also oversold the barracks but the ones I ended up going to were more like the ones he described when far more other barracks are no rooms, no doors or locks except the front door.

I also was under intense pressure from within & her to hurry up, find something and chip in and that seemed to be the best way but I knew very well what I was getting into, specifically with the MOS and $20,000 enlistment bonus. In basic our platoon Drill Sergeant had us go around and tell us why we joined the military, my truthful answer would have been, "so my girlfriend wouldn't leave me(it wasn't that simple, she was & will remain very special to me)" so I went with school or some answer. School, money, GI bill, benefits, training for a career were the most common answers given, very few said duty, honor, patriotism, or some buzzwords. Very few are full of shit like that or when they are, also have the most full of shit stories when they come back (the same guy I'm thinking of, you should have seen right after we all inhaled some marijuana--he just couldn't wait to tell you all these new thoughts that came to his head.

Anyways, that is my story I'm sticking to it.

On edit - first chance I got to check my e-mail in basic training, I had job offers in my inbox.

[rocktivity]

9. What was the problem -- that she didn't appear to be man,

or that she didn't appear to be wounded?


rocktivity

[TreasonousBastard]

11. Veteran's parking spots?

http://www.myfoxdc.com/story/27513692/harris-teeter-offers-parking-spots-just-for-veterans

Many stores offer parking spaces that are reserved for specific shoppers - like handicapped drivers or drivers with children.

Harris Teeter is adding to list by offering designated parking spots to veterans.
<..>

http://www.wfaa.com/story/news/local/2014/11/11/special-parking-spots-for-disabled-vets/18838941/

It began when he saw a veteran who didn't have a special parking permit slowly making his way into a Walmart store in Hudson Oaks.

"He said, 'No, I don't [have parking] because I'm not handicapped or wheelchair-bound,'" Vines recalled the man telling him. "'I'm just a tired old disabled veteran.'"

Vines says it's pride that keeps veterans from parking in handicapped spots.

So to help, he approached Walmart management about creating reserved parking spaces for disabled Veterans. The idea took off.

<...>

[JI7]

13. i bet the piece of shit who left the note wasn't even a vet, fucking assholes, i hope she gets some

money from the site that raises funds for people like that pizza guy who dealt with the shitty car dealers.

[glasshouses]

15. She should have it on her plate

If not it's the same thing as someone who is legally handicapped and parks in a spot with no plate
ID or a hang tag from the mirror .

That person could also come back and have a citation on their windshield

This is a non story

[mythology]

16. Since there's no law mandating and protecting the veteran's parking spot,

what would the citation be for? I've never been in the military and I can legally park in that spot. Granted I wouldn't, but that's because I enjoy the extra walk from the back of the parking lot most days and I tend to be picky about where I park since I don't like to back out of parking spaces.

[glasshouses]

18. I didn't say it would be for her

She just received a letter from a vet placed on her window.

I just gave the example if a car is parked there and the owners of the property would like
to have it for vets that is their choice but I don't see how it could be legally enforced .

People just do it out of respect .

She made a mountain out of a molehill calling the paper

[840high]

19. +1

[jeff47]

48. Yes, assuming she wasn't a vet because she has ovaries should be ignored.

[ProfessorGAC]

51. I Think The Note Leaver Built the Mountain

Even if she wasn't a vet, and she was, why didn't that note writer just mind his or her own damn business.

[Jamastiene]

62. She should know her place, right?

What an assholish thing to say. She had every right to call the paper about it. I'm glad she did. That kind of misogynistic bullshit should be highlighted every damn time it happens until the assholes learn that women are human beings. She served the goddamn same. She deserves respect the same.

[kcr]

74. Pointing out that people shouldn't just assume based on appearance

isn't a molehill. Most people don't contact the news when this happens but more should.

[mackerel]

23. The wounded vet who left note may have been having a bad PTSD day.

[HereSince1628]

39. Maybe, certainly everyone can have bad days

It could also be that 'wounded vets' mobility outside of the vehicle is an issue and at that time he' felt he needed that spot more than someone who doesn't have such a problem.

Vets do make distinctions among themselves about combat vs non-combat, injured/disabled vs not injured/disabled etc Even if he knew she was a vet, he might have still been unhappy about losing access to the spot.

I've heard vets complain about other vets having lower/no co-pays for meds because of their current income and/or lack of insurance.

The story line in the report is it happened because of a gender stereotype, it could be, or it might a guy having a bad day, or it could be that she appeared fully able-bodied and for some reason he felt that indicated he needed that spot more than she did.

Vets are people with all the possibilities that holds.

[Kaleva]

61. There's no way to know if the author of the note ever served in the military.

[delrem]

24. Oh, it's nothing. So long as the veterinarian got a spot close to the entrance.

Hopefully the veterinarian wasn't caring for Iraqi cats, tho'!

[Spider Jerusalem]

30. What next? Special parking spaces for former Boy Scouts?

I don't have a problem with parking spaces for the handicapped/disabled and for pregnant women, but military veterans don't seem to need special parking. If they're disabled to the degree that their mobility is impaired they can get a disabled permit. Just like anyone else.

[Glengoolie]

31. Who cares?

The store is private property and they think that...

a) It will reflect well on them and increase their business

or

b) The practice is just something to benefit a certain group that they would like to provide a benefit to

What exactly is the harm?

[Demit]

32. The people who are excluded.

Like older people, whose feet hurt or who have arthritis, who have to park farther away because the grocery store reserves close-in parking spots to pregnant women. Who are by definition young.

I hope store managers realize that giving preference to some of their shoppers is a slap to others. It's unnecessarily alienating.

[Glengoolie]

33. Are you complaining about parking spots for pregnant women as well?

[Demit]

45. That is exactly what I'm complaining about.

We declare in other contexts that pregnancy is not an illness, when the assumption that we are suddenly frail or infirm limits our rights and freedoms.

And if a woman is feeling ill or infirm from pregnancy symptoms, as women often do—well, that's no different from any other member of the population who is feeling ill or infirm and wouldn't mind a shorter walk to the grocery store entrance. The store is deciding who to elevate over whom in importance, and it's stupid.

[Glengoolie]

73. I feel like you are poking around in Poe's law territory...

... and I'm not sure if you are just having a wank.

Seriously, who could possibly be against giving a pregnant woman an easier time of things?

What's wrong with you?

[Demit]

75. What's wrong with me? Age, arthritis and my feet.

No, I'm not trolling. I'm quite serious. To ask your question back at you, what could be wrong with giving older people an easier time of things? Do you think pregnant women are more deserving of consideration than old people are?

Both groups, of course, are deserving. I'm saying I think stores shouldn't dictate who, aside from the handicapped, should have preference in parking spots. I hope that is clear now in your mind.

[Glengoolie]

91. So it's not that you are bothered by the exclusion...

... It's that you want them to exclude in your favor.

Now it all makes sense...

[Demit]

92. I'll try this one last time

I don't think stores should make the decision. Let everyone take their chances on where they find a parking spot. The disabled get their spots reserved by law & that's good. All other spots should be first come, first served, because we all have our troubles.

[Glengoolie]

96. It's private property...

Why shouldn't they carve it up as they see fit?

[jeff47]

50. Depends on who their target market is.

Babies-R-Us is going to massively benefit from "Pregnant Women Only" spaces. A business that caters to seniors will be hurt by them. That's why the former will have them, and the latter will not.

And guess what? You can park in the "Pregnant Women Only" spaces, even if you're male. Only the handicapped spaces have legal protection.

[Demit]

57. I would think that wouldn't need explaining. We're talking supermarkets,

which serve a general clientele.

Once, in a Wegman's parking lot, I parked *adjacent* to a pregnant women spot, not even in one (the blue lines were only on one side), and the ream of invective I got hurled at me when I came out of the store would've curled your toes. By two young women with faces contorted in hate. So if you're the sort who will shrug that off to make a point (that it's legal), more power to you. Most people will just concede the space, to avoid the possibility of an unpleasant confrontation.

Or, store managers might find out, people might just begin avoiding their stores altogether.

[jeff47]

59. Except supermarkets don't server a general clientele.

They're aiming for particular shoppers.

One of the stores near us has almost no diapers or other baby products. A different store filled an entire aisle with them. That's because the first store is aiming for older, wealthier shoppers. The second store saw a hole in who the first store was serving, and made a play for those shoppers.

That second store has a very small meat department, and only filled it with very expensive meat. A third store put in a very large meat department with lots of pricepoints for meat, and a medium-sized baby products aisle. Why? The second store was aiming for not-as-wealthy-as-the-first-store families due to limited space, and the third store is aiming for younger people who are unlikely to have children yet, and have more limited funds.

Supermarkets will take anyone's money, but they are all aiming for smaller segments of shoppers.

[Demit]

78. I live in an area with large supermarkets that don't 'aim for smaller segments'.

They aim for volume. My particular story was about Wegman's, a chain which makes a point of having a huge assortment of goods, in a huge floor plan. Yes, there are supermarkets who specialize, like Whole Foods does in organic. And chain supermarkets in certain communities won't carry certain things, like the Acme in a predominantly Italian neighborhood I know that doesn't carry part-skim Mozzarella cheese, presumably because they found out it didn't sell. Italian cooks wouldn't deign to use it. The Acme isn't deliberately not selling it because they're 'aiming' for anyone. They are responding.

Large supermarket chains are not aiming for particular shoppers. Maybe the smaller stores near you do. But I live in a sprawling, car-centric area with several competing chains, and they are all competing for every shopper who has a car and makes major grocery-shopping trips to a supermarket.

[jeff47]

80. My examples are three large chain stores.

And if you look, you'll find your Wegman's is aiming for different customers than Price Chopper or Hannaford (to name some NE chains)

[Demit]

82. Wegman's is competing with Acme, SuperFresh, Pathmark & ShopRite.

Which are the major chains in my area.

I don't know what your point is in re pregnant women reserved parking, but I've lost interest, sorry.

[jeff47]

83. The point is you'll find difference in their stock based on who they want in the store.

Sorry that it's such a difficult concept to wrap your head around.

[Demit]

87. I think the horse you are beating is dead.

[treestar]

94. Whites only spaces

Would they be acceptable to you?

It doesn't seem it would help the store. It's going to cause irritation to the other people.

[Glengoolie]

97. Any store dumb enough to have "Whites only" spaces deserves what they get...

If you don't think that stuff like this gets out, especially because of this story, and that the store doesn't get a PR boost for 'supporting the troops' you are missing the boat.

It is at least possible and I suspect probable...

Are you with the other guy who thinks that stores shouldn't be allowed to set aside parking for pregnant women either on their private property?

[treestar]

98. Pregnant woman are not disabled

Perfectly able to walk across a parking lot if they can be out at all. And as others said, troops who are not disabled are healthy enough. How does that even support such veterans? They would have a certain amount of pride. They are able to walk through a parking lot. IMO it's an empty gesture for them. I'd think most of them would shun it.

And if they "served" as the note writer claims, then they wouldn't have a snotty attitude of superiority towards the people in their country. They are not the only ones at war, as the civilians are too in that they pay for it via their taxes. Everyone does their part. One isn't somehow separate and apart and it is not a way to earn some sort of higher status. If they are doing us such a big favor by serving in the actual military, then would that not extend to walking across a parking lot?

[Glengoolie]

100. Holy moly....

Do you not hold doors for pregnant women either? They can get it themselves?

It doesn't have to be related to being disabled. It's a time saver. It's a benefit that the store, a private organization, has decided to confer on a group that they would like to patronize their establishment and it buys them good PR associated with their brand.

Same reason Lowe's gives 10% to veterans.... To get their business...

Are you suggesting that businesses should target every demographic equally? Do you think Babies R Us should market to the 65+ market?

Also, I gotta say that anyone who would fight to make a pregnant woman's life just a bit more difficult... Wow... Sheesh...

[icymist]

34. Because women cannot register for, nor will be drafted.

Until then, the sexism will continue.

[davidn3600]

35. Man...It takes courage to kick that hornet's nest

You are right, of course. But many here can't handle that truth.

The guy that wrote the note is a first class asshole, and sexist. But it's not surprising considering how our society views military service and gender.

[Gormy Cuss]

42. Because all men in the military are there because they were drafted, right?

On what planet do the sexist draft laws excuse sexism in the military?

[Jamastiene]

63. Apparently, Earth.

Not saying it is right, but that seems to be the norm, especially with a lot of men in NC. This place is set up so that women are always going to be considered less than. That sexist mentality rules in my hometown. Women are treated like shit here. I'm glad the woman contacted the paper. It's about time women started highlighting the crap we have to put up with on a daily basis from assholes like the person who wrote the note.

[Gormy Cuss]

72. Oh no. she made a big deal about nothing

according to some in this thread.

[kcr]

88. That's an excuse for sexism, then?

Okay to be a misogynist asshole, because women can't be drafted? That's solid logic, there. So, is it okay to be jerks to men who've served who are too young to have served before the military was all voluntary?

[madokie]

37. The world if full of assholes

all us has one but some people are all asshole. The person who wrote that was one of those kind

[mnhtnbb]

38. I shop at our local Harris Teeter (Chapel Hill, NC) and we have these spots, too.

There are so many reserved spots in these lots now: handicapped, veterans, parents
with small children, that I often drive through several rows before finding a spot. And
most of these 'reserved' spots are empty when I'm there.

[RobinA]

44. Frankly,

I don't feel one is obligated to adhere to any made up interest group sign such as these. I would never park in a spot for handicapped people and if somebody made up a sign for older people I would probably honor that. Other than that, I tend not to. if you need a close spot there is a mechanism in place for you. OK, signs on spaces designated for take out food pick-up, I get that. And if they had a sign next to the store reserving spots for social workers, I probably would not take advantage. You're able-bodied, you take your chances at parking spot roulette just like everybody else.

[mnhtnbb]

46. I don't know if my husband parks in the veteran spots, but he could. When I had small children,

I wouldn't have minded having a spot reserved for me! And for the 6 months I used a cane prior
to hip replacement surgery, I wouldn't have minded being able to park in handicapped, but never
bothered to apply for the permit. So...I'm healthy now. I don't mind walking a little farther to the store entrance.
But I do think it's kind of strange that so many spots are "reserved" for different reasons.

[Fred Sanders]

41. I would like senior citizen parking spots for senior citizen victims mentally incapacitated by Fox.

[ProfessorGAC]

52. I Want The "58 Year Old With MS, But Not Handicapped In Any Way" Spots

And i want them now.

[Fred Sanders]

53. "Folks too lazy to park half a block away" spots would be in demand.

What about the "For folks so busy they may need to park "just a minute" in front of the doors" spots, also.

[ProfessorGAC]

58. I Wouldn't Use Those

Too impersonal. LOL!

[blindersoff]

76. how do you know that person with MS is NOT handicapped??

Some education for you here: MS is a disease where a person can have periods of normalcy and not need a handicapped parking space and then other times might not be able to walk well from a distant spot to a store. Fatigue and weakness can come on quickly and walking INTO the store might go just fine, but by the end of the trip the person might be almost unable to walk. So don't assume that just because you can't see a disability that there isn't one. Just my perspective as a person with MS...

[ProfessorGAC]

81. Um, I've Had MS for 20 Years, Slick

I'm the person with MS who has no actual handicap. Sheesh!

[blindersoff]

84. Sorry, misread your post, Slick (nice)

I thought by the wording of your post that you were saying that no one who didn't have a visible disability should have a permit. I also have no handicap but do have relatives with MS who are very debilitated and I do know that the variability in their ability to do things comes and goes. Sheesh yourself.

[ProfessorGAC]

86. You Are Far Too Serious

I make a joke using myself as the butt as the selfish one using any excuse for convenience parking and get castigated.

You need to relax.

[Tatiana]

43. Instead of parking spaces, we need to be assisting vets with mental health services.

These little empty "thank you for your service" gestures irritate me. What our vets need is comprehensive (and timely) medical and mental health services, so they can reintegrate into society after their service. I lost my father due to his inability to recover from what he experienced in Vietnam. There are so many other veterans suffering from PTSD and a host of other mental health issues that prevent them from steady employment and maintaining health relationships.

As far as the article is concerned, that guy is a jerk -- and a sexist one at that. I hope this story reaches him.

[Jamastiene]

60. That is actually typical of the mentality of a lot of people in this state.

It is ingrained in the culture in NC. Women are seen as lower than shit, basically. They don't consider a woman's sacrifice as equal or in any way a real sacrifice. She could have no legs at all and they would still leave that kind of insulting note, JUST to remind her of "her place." Women are held very low in the pecking order in this state, somewhere below the woman's son's dog and a random field mouse, and there are times when men in this state care more about a field mouse than the "old lady." I wish I could show people what it is really like in so many areas of this state, as far as how women are viewed and treated.

[whathehell]

66. Thanks for posting..Good information. n/t

[niyad]

69. another sexist asshole who forgets that women serve in the military as well.

[Orsino]

77. You know what would be fucking hilarious?

If the "wounded vet" turned out to be female, too.

I'd bet money this was a man, though.

[uhnope]

85. are there any Peace Corps Only spots? Teachers Only spots?

[kcr]

89. Forget about the shame of that unjust experience

The REAL outrage is dumb specialized parking spaces!

Oh, DU!