Monday, April 7, 2014

No Dogs Allowed

No Dogs Allowed no exception, not even Service Dogs.

This happened last Fall and we have been thinking and thinking about should we or not post this post.
.
We knew this was going to be a sad day.  We were going with a group of special reader kids to see The Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall.  A 3/5 scale of the Vietnam Memorial Wall,  300 feet long and 6 feet tall.  

 
It was setup in the next county over at a park where you always see dogs being walked.
When we got there I, Sweet William The Scot, with my vest and patch was not allowed on the field.
There were no signs set up saying NO DOGS ALLOWED.
Then we saw two incidents that made my Lee cry.
A Vietnam veteran was on the field to leave this for his friend. 
The note on the beer bottle flowers says Eternal Friend. 
The Veteran had on a vest with all his medals.  The vest had pockets.  And out of a pocket he pulled his teacup Chihuahua.  He had the Chihuahua up to his face and the little dog was licking his tears away. 
(out of respect Lee will not show the picture, but it could win  The Pulitzer Prize for Feature Photography).
A woman with BI Productions ran out and proclaimed loudly how disrespectful he was with the dog on the field and to get off the field.
This note was taped to the Wall.
The slogan was follow the leader, odd! They said our platoon leader, the LT, was in charge and he was in the middle of the formation, we usually followed the point man or our NCO's in the nam, it seemed the leaders were high above in a chopper, or far away in a command bunker with a radio.
The last line reads "The real leaders were each of us watching out for one another".
Then there was a veteran of the recent battle in Iraq, he was in full uniform.  He was missing multiple limbs which were obvious.  He had a short haired Lab Service Dog. He was here to see the tags of service men and women who have given their lives to the War on Terror. The BI Production lady stopped him at the entrance, where we were waiting for our group. 
The BI Productions lady told him and I quote "no dogs allowed not even service dogs. 
 Vietnam veterans do not like dogs".

He was offered a golf cart ride around if he left his dog behind in the parking lot.  He would not leave his dog behind, so he left.
 I, Sweet William The Scot, really enjoyed the Bagpiper.
When Lee questioned the woman's blank statement of veterans not liking dogs the woman put her hands on my Lee's back and pushed her toward the parking lot.
Lee told the woman that dogs have done a lot in helping soldiers.  We were told to leave.
With that our group left with sad hearts.

 Lee took a chance and grabbed one shot of me in front of all the tags of service people who have lost their lives in the War Against Terror.
(I was nowhere close to the Vietnam Wall)
Well I, Sweet William The Scot,  hope as the note that was left at the Wall says ~ Look Out For One Another, we will all be the better for following the veterans words.

              Thanks for being a friend                     
         Traveling down the road and back again              
Your heart is true and your a friend of mine.     
Signing Off
 Sweet William The Scot   

26 comments :

  1. That is sooooooooooooo wrong. I can not believe the people running the event would be so insensitive (well sadly I can in a country that is now so politically correct and politically insensitive). So many vets need their dogs and to tell them they couldn't have them close by in a time when they were over whelmed by the emotion of seeing the names on the wall - it is just wrong. Gosh it makes me angry and sad all at once :(

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  2. That is awful. What is it with that ridiculous woman? Grrr she made us all angry. We so would love to bite her ankle. Have a marvellous Monday.
    Best wishes Molly

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  3. Sw. Wm. we are GLAD that you posted this. And we would not have minded seeing the picture of the Vietnam Vet with the TEARS... That war caused MANY tears... as all wars do.
    WE went to see the Traveling Wall in Pencil Vane E Ah once. THERE WERE SIGNS THERE THOUGH... No dogs allowed... Which we Totally understood... when it pertained to ME (Frankie Furter). Our dad IS a Vietnam Navy Vet. He was on the ENTERPRISE.
    HOWEVER, we had NO IDEA that they would EVER exclude a Vet from ANY campaign... that needed a Service Dog. THAT is HORRID. We are SO sad that the Wounded Warrior was NOT allowed to be accompanied by his HELPMATE. The offer of a Golf Cart... does NOT negate the insensitivity of those who are in charge of the Traveling Wall.
    What did they THINK that would do to the veteran's sense of dignity?
    THIS is a DISGRACE. Pure and Simple.
    Thank you for bringing it to our attention.
    We totally UNDERSTAND why You and I were not permitted... out of respect... but to not permit the VETERAN with a dog in his arms... or a service animal... that is BEYOND belief.

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  4. Sweet William that is just too sad about the service dogs and how rude and disrespectful of the BI production woman!!
    Hugs madi and mom your bfff

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  5. What a fantastic place to honor all those who served
    Lily & Edward

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  6. how sad...mum was not aware that you could block service animals from public places, due to the ADA. That's terrible :( we are happy that you shared the story with us.

    Edgar and his mum

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  7. SW, we are so pleased to see the picture of you showing respect in front of those tags. What a shame that that horrid woman was so lacking in understanding of what is really important to veterans. For sure we understand that no-one would want dogs upsetting other visitors or cocking their leg against the special wall, but surely the service dogs and the wee chihuahua deserved to be allowed in.
    Humph!
    Bertie.

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  8. The actions of this BI Production woman makes us soooooooo very angry. To push Lee and tell her to leave. Then to tell the vet that he could not see the memorial with his service dog is just to much. I hope she knows how much bad karma she is bring down on herself. No way should a service dog be turned away or separated from his partner. I hope the powers that be are made aware. People who make donations to the memorial for vets should be made aware of how the vets who visit are treated.
    Thanks you for the story.
    Bentley and his mom.

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  9. I didn't even know this was legal! I can't believes this!! WTF??? I have to give Lee points for not tellin' that lady where she can stick it! (Ma would have!! hehehe)
    Someone should call the local TV and Radio stations and SHAME this lady! To turn away a wounded vet and his service dog...TOO MUCH!! "leave him in the parkin' lot'????? I say let's leave HER in the parkin' lot!!!!
    Don't worry, karma will find her...
    Kudos to Lee for gettin' your pic anyhu!
    Kisses,
    Ruby ♥

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  10. Shiloh’n Diva Shasta here – we shure did like your post. And it had our mom sayin’sum of those HBO werdz under her breath. She sed if that lady had laid a hand on her bak, it’d b the last time that lady laid her hand anywhere it wuzn’t welcome an’mite haf bin groundz fur assault (our mom wood haf called the police an’accuzed that lady with assault b-cuz mom wood not haf moved much an’the lady wood haf pushed her – mom can b onery sumtimez) Mom sed that lady wood haf gotten a quik lesson ‘boutz Vietnam vetz an’dogz. Mom’z dad wuz a vet of the Korean War an’Vietnam – her bruther retired after 20 yearz, s-i-l iz in Reserves an’mom werkz at the same VA where her mom werked. Plus our mom haz disabilitiez an’even tho she duzn’t uze a service dog rite now – she understandz how quikly that can change fur ANYONE. She wishes that our society cood “get it” that service dogz az well az any assistive device iz not just sumthing a person with a disability can due without – they can’t just say well I don’t want this rite now – may-b tue-morrow but instead that service dog b-comez an x-tenshun of that peron with a disability, a part of their body that no longer werkz the way it iz s’poze tue.
    Ok – we iz steppin’down off our collective pedestal now. Great job u did Sweet William of showin’your support an’respect fur the vetz. Mom sed it wood b cruel an’ironic if that lady sumday needed a service dog – may-b but oh so righteous!
    Shiloh'n Diva Shasta

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  11. That woman should be reported. She definitely shouldn't be workin' there. No compassion.

    XXXOOO Bella & Roxy

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  12. Thats really sad, that women needs to be turned over to the veterans, bet she would learn her lesson then. Guess she doesn't know, or care how many puppers served during all the wars and even in Nam. Glad Dad wasn't there, she might have got punched.

    Glad you got out there to show your support for those that gave theirs for us!

    The Mad Scots

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  13. Wow, Sweet William and Lee, this is such an important post! Thanks for sharing your story and I can tell you that my Dad (a Vietnam Navy Vet) was saying all sorts of HBO words about that rude lady. Okay if pets aren't allowed in the park, but a sign is needed...and then the lady should have been nice and compassionate instead of mean and disrespectful. We totally don't understand refusing a service animal! WHAT?!? Service animals are always supposed to be allowed. shesh I sure hope that on her way to her car, that rotten woman stepped in a big ole pile o' poop. She deserves to be removed from that job fur sure. shesh again!
    Grr and a Patriotic Woof,
    Sarge, Veteran Supporter

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  14. Dat are sad and me and my lawyer momma really think not allowing service dogs are not legal under da ADA. Give some people a lil power, and they go crazy wif it.

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  15. This post has upset us terribly!! WTD! Could Lee not write to the organisers and ask for an explanation as to that woman's abominable behaviour! Dogs have played a major role is many, many wars and service dogs (even in South Africa) should be allowed to accompany their people anywhere, any time. We are SPITTING mad...and that doesn't happen very often.
    Thank you for sharing the photos and other stories with us Lee & SW. Mom realised a big, big dream of hers when she got to visit the real memorial in Washington in January. She used to be a history teacher and the Vietnam war was one of her favourite topics to teach.
    Wally & Sammy

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  16. This is so not right :-(
    We love the picture of you in front of the tags. Go, William!

    Love ya lots♥
    Mitch and Molly

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  17. Angry Ringy-Dingy 1, ready-to-punch-lady-in-the-face Ringy-Dingy 2...

    Holy Sugar Honey Iced Tea! There is SO much wrong with what happened at the traveling wall. "No dogs allowed"? OK, understandable. "No Service Dogs allowed"? ILLEGAL! "No Service Dogs with their VETERANS allowed? UNCONSCIONABLE.

    Ma's daddy was a Vietnam Veteran and he LOVED dogs...all dogs. To say that Vietnam Vets do not like dogs is the most ridiculous attempt at a lame-butt excuse ever!

    The kicker? The wall is owned by a nonprofit HERE IN FLORIDA - the Vietnam and All Veterans of Brevard County (they are a bunch of whackos up there). Your Lee needs to write them a letter, Sir William...because do they even KNOW that BI Productions is NOT allowing service dogs...even ones who are accompanying VETERANS? Here is the link to the Contact Us page on their site - http://www.travelingwall.us/contact_us.htm

    Personally, I think we all should write a letter because this is some of the worst treatment of our veterans that I have heard of in a while.

    Sorry for the rant.
    Oz

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  18. My Momma has leaky eyes after reading this and we also are so glad you posted it Sweet William. The wars have left scars upon our family and we think the veterans with service dogs should be allowed to take them wherever they need to go....I think we all should leave a message on the link to the traveling wall...it makes me so sad that even at a memorial in their honor that someone still tries to take it all away from them. Shame shame shame on that woman.
    What a lovely picture Sweet William.
    Stella Rose

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  19. That's a shame they wouldn't let the wounded veteran's service dog in.

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  20. Thank you for this post- but it made my peep pretty mad! Her Dad has a Purple Heart from Vietnam and he is the biggest dog lover there is. When the traveling wall was here, it was actually in a dog park! Piper went with them and after her Dad found his friends' names, he just hugged and petted her for a long time after. We're typing through leaky eyes here...we talk a lot about Americans should be Proud of America and what is happening to our citizens. This person clearly demonstrates a lack of love for her own country. Veterans deserve so much more than this! Ugh. I am so glad to see your picture at the end honoring our fallen Americans!!!
    oxox
    Daisy

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  21. OMG that is so terrible and pushing Lee towards the car park, how awful.. xxxoxoxxxxx

    Mollie and Alfie

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  22. Sweet William, thank you so much for sharing this. It's so sad, and the story of the man with the Chihuahua is especially touching. At least you got in one picture at the end!
    Pippa :)

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  23. This is a beautiful and thought provoking post. I am stunned at the reactions to the dogs. Some people depend upon their dogs and need them always. Service dogs are always well behaved, there is just no reason for this. It makes me sad. I am glad you got to see this beautiful tribute, even though there were nasty people.

    Anne and Sasha

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  24. I had some tears in my eyes while reading your post. I feel sorry for the man with the small chihuahua and for the veteran with the service dog. And I feel shame for people like that BI Productions lady. I'm glad your Lee took such a great photo of you honoring the heroes. Thanks for a great but very touching post, William and Lee.

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  25. It hurts our hearts to read this. How sad that that person wouldn't let them near the memorial. The people running that should be ashamed of themselves.


    We hope Oz doesn't think we're wackos....we live in Brevard :(

    The Florida Furkids

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  26. This is incredibly sad ...and seems to me this must be illegal. Service dogs are allowed everywhere ...

    Ruby

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