Tell Jacksonville Mayor to fire inspector who insulted a combat wounded US Veteran
On Monday April 16, city inspector Melinda Powers entered a Jacksonville business Jaguar Power Sports and demanded they remove their military flag display. The manager resisted, and the inspector proceeded to write up a citation. While doing so, a customer, who happened to be a US combat wounded veteran, expressed his concern over the citation to the inspector.
According to employee Kasey Klasse, she (Melinda) says, "What did you do for this country?" to which the veteran replied, "I took three bullets to the leg. I almost lost my leg for this country. I'm retired. I'm a veteran." Melinda stuck her finger in his face and retorted, "You did NOTHING for this country." She stormed out. the entire incident was caught on the dealership's surveillance camera.
The dealership posted a video on their Facebook about the incident which quickly went viral, hitting over 5 million views in less than 24 hours.
It was reported on by news outlets and quickly spread on social media. The Mayor of Jacksonville, Lenny Curry, tweeted about the incident. he said,"1. I have directed the city staff that military flags should be treated the same as the US flag. Let them fly. I have reached out to the business owner and will review employee procedures. COJ employees are expected to be respectful to our customers, you, the people of Jacksonville."
Jacksonville is known as "military in-bound city", home to several military bases and boasts the third largest military population in the country.
We the People do not take kindly to city employees or anyone insulting our veterans. Melinda Powers disrespected the business, a combat wounded veteran, and the entire US Military. Tell Mayor Curry to FIRE Melinda for her actions!
Updates
April 18, 2018
I have been reading every single story you leave here and the disrespect shown to those who served stays with me constantly. We are currently working to ensure the city hears exactly how deep this anger runs across our community. Please keep checking in because I will not stop pushing until there is real accountability for what happened.
April 18, 2018
Seeing this level of support reminds me why I started this fight in the first place. My brother served honorably and he deserves the same basic respect that this inspector denied a wounded veteran at the dealership. We are keeping the pressure on the Mayor until there is true accountability for what happened.
39 Comments
The city employee may have been following city policy at the time she issued the warning ticket. Happy that misguided policy has now been overruled. But her rude and outrageous behavior and abuse of the veteran customer is inexcusable. She is unfit for her position and should be disciplined, and terminated.
She crossed the line when she berated and insulted that veteran in the store, let alone writing a citation for such an asinine reason. Her actions deserve dire consequences, plain and simple.
She doesn't deserve a job that is paid for by public tax funds! She is a disgrace to our country.
Fire Melinda. In the private sector she would immediately be fired, with no benefits. Get rid of her.
City employees represent the locality they work for. This is a disgrace. She should NOT be working for any government or city agency as she is demonstrably unstable and combative.
This is rediculous and amazingly disrespectful! Should not be tolerated!
No-one should disrespect or military or veteran like that. She has no professionalism, and likely has harassed people before. It just came to easy for her, she's a terrible person.
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Tell Jacksonville Mayor to fire inspector who insulted a combat wounded US Veteran
On Monday April 16, city inspector Melinda Powers entered a Jacksonville business Jaguar Power Sports and demanded they remove their military flag display. The manager resisted, and the inspector proceeded to write up a citation. While doing so, a customer, who happened to be a US combat wounded veteran, expressed his concern over the citation to the inspector.
According to employee Kasey Klasse, she (Melinda) says, "What did you do for this country?" to which the veteran replied, "I took three bullets to the leg. I almost lost my leg for this country. I'm retired. I'm a veteran." Melinda stuck her finger in his face and retorted, "You did NOTHING for this country." She stormed out. the entire incident was caught on the dealership's surveillance camera.
The dealership posted a video on their Facebook about the incident which quickly went viral, hitting over 5 million views in less than 24 hours.
It was reported on by news outlets and quickly spread on social media. The Mayor of Jacksonville, Lenny Curry, tweeted about the incident. he said,"1. I have directed the city staff that military flags should be treated the same as the US flag. Let them fly. I have reached out to the business owner and will review employee procedures. COJ employees are expected to be respectful to our customers, you, the people of Jacksonville."
Jacksonville is known as "military in-bound city", home to several military bases and boasts the third largest military population in the country.
We the People do not take kindly to city employees or anyone insulting our veterans. Melinda Powers disrespected the business, a combat wounded veteran, and the entire US Military. Tell Mayor Curry to FIRE Melinda for her actions!
Updates
April 18, 2018
I have been reading every single story you leave here and the disrespect shown to those who served stays with me constantly. We are currently working to ensure the city hears exactly how deep this anger runs across our community. Please keep checking in because I will not stop pushing until there is real accountability for what happened.
April 18, 2018
Seeing this level of support reminds me why I started this fight in the first place. My brother served honorably and he deserves the same basic respect that this inspector denied a wounded veteran at the dealership. We are keeping the pressure on the Mayor until there is true accountability for what happened.
39 Comments
U hate to see someone lose their livelihood but these people must either fired or demoted. I am a PROUD American vet!
The city employee may have been following city policy at the time she issued the warning ticket. Happy that misguided policy has now been overruled. But her rude and outrageous behavior and abuse of the veteran customer is inexcusable. She is unfit for her position and should be disciplined, and terminated.
She crossed the line when she berated and insulted that veteran in the store, let alone writing a citation for such an asinine reason. Her actions deserve dire consequences, plain and simple.
She doesn't deserve a job that is paid for by public tax funds! She is a disgrace to our country.
Fire Melinda. In the private sector she would immediately be fired, with no benefits. Get rid of her.
City employees represent the locality they work for. This is a disgrace. She should NOT be working for any government or city agency as she is demonstrably unstable and combative.
This is rediculous and amazingly disrespectful! Should not be tolerated!
No-one should disrespect or military or veteran like that. She has no professionalism, and likely has harassed people before. It just came to easy for her, she's a terrible person.
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U hate to see someone lose their livelihood but these people must either fired or demoted. I am a PROUD American vet!