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A 69-year-old veteran was fired from Kentucky’s Florence Freedom Stadium after the park’s owner spotted him delay his duties as the national anthem played.
Tom Aue stopped scanning tickets, took off his hat, and placed it over his chest as the national anthem blared in the background. Park owner Clint Brown told Aue to return to work, and when the military veteran refused he let him go.
“The owner, who happened to be out there at that time, told us – or me in particular – to continue to scan tickets. And I kind of just took my hat off, put it over my chest, and offered him the scanner so he could continue to scan the tickets.”
Aue says that Brown later fired him for the infraction, but the park owner said that’s not exactly what happened.
“We like the guy,” said Brown, claiming he never fired Aue but offered to relocate him to a less crowded gate. “We like the employee. We just try to make everybody happy and sometimes that is hard.”
Brown, who is also a former veteran, says he understands where Aue is coming from. However, in order to maintain safety, crowds must continue to be ushered in to the stadium, even during the national anthem.
“How can you be unhappy with somebody who takes a stand on wanting to salute the flag?” said Brown. “As a former military guy, I think that is exactly what he should be doing, but the other side of the coin is the best business practice and the appropriate guideline for a business like ours to get a large crowd through a small hole pregame.”
Aue refuses to return to the stadium and urges the corporation to change their policy.
“I would like to see somebody use some common sense and show a little bit more respect for what the flag and the national anthem stand for,” said Aue.
(The following was a submission from freelance writer Brent Rogers)
I feel in you are inside the stadium or park, everyone should stand at attention while the Star Spangled Banner is played or sung, or if they are raising the US Flag. If you are outside the Stadium or Park, however, you are not required to do so if you cannot hear or see the Flag and the Star Spangled Banner being played or sung?
I understand both sides. But think it would be a great gesture in todays America if the company made a policy that all lines stop during the playing of the national anthem. How long does it take?…..not long. We need companies/leaders who are patriotic. I know locally her in GA, they still pay the anthem and have a prayer before starting the stock car races in Sat night. The whole place is dead silent with a few thousand people. Now That’s AMERICA!!!
Sounds like the owner is acting reasonably- He has to have public safety come first. Allowing the worker to work at a location where he can stop and salute without affecting the safety of others was a good compromise.
The last group I know of that run around beating people who don’t salute quick enough were the Nazi Brown shirts, or maybe North Korean thugs. No thanks to that.
God Bless America.
No. Everyone should stop what they’re doing. Even the folks in line should salute. Or get an ass beaten. That’s how it is. None of this excuse bullshit. Every time a telephone pole is installed there should be a traitor under it. The poles are already crosses. Let’s get better recognition for the cross. This is a respectable mandate that shall not be neglected. When I was a kid, you’d get an ass whipping for acting disrespectful.
Be patriotic or suffer serious personal injury.
You’re right, that’s the kind of America I want to live in. One where some red neck goes around playing mutaween randomly beating up people who don’t act as he wants them to.