A Jacksonville business successfully won its battle with the city over their right to fly military flags, but the controversy over how city officials handled the matter isn’t dying down any time soon.
Jaguar Power Sports, a motorcycle dealership in the area, posted a video on social media indicating they had been warned by city officials for daring to fly pro-military flags on their building and had 24 hours to ‘correct’ the violation.
“That’s right, we just got a ticket … for flying military flags,” the manager is heard saying in the video. “They told us to take them down or go to court over it. Are you serious right now?”
Mayor Lenny Curry got wind of the incident and tweeted his support for the business being allowed to fly the military flags.
“I have directed city staff that military flags should be treated same as US flag,” Curry wrote. “Let them fly.”
“We support our military and veterans, and we appreciate businesses who honor their service,” he added.
1. I Have directed city staff that military flags should be treated same as US flag. Let them fly. I Have reached out to the business owner & will review employee procedures. COJ employees r expected to be respectful of our customers – you, the people of Jacksonville.
— Lenny Curry (@lennycurry) April 16, 2018
2. We support our military and veterans, and we appreciate businesses who honor their service.
— Lenny Curry (@lennycurry) April 16, 2018
Shortly after the initial video was posted, Jaguar Power Sports posted another indicating that they had been allowed to keep the flags.
“I am so amazed at the amount of support,” said a second store manager named Marcy. “Thank you so much for understanding that we are trying to accomplish something here.”
While the outcome worked in their favor, a lingering issue has still raised the ire of veterans.
According to witnesses, the city official who issued a warning to the business about their military flags told one veteran in the shop at the time that ‘what he did for our country doesn’t matter.’
After telling the city official that he didn’t appreciate their attempts to get the shop to remove the flags, the official allegedly responded ‘Your opinion doesn’t really matter at this point.’
Surveillance video from the incident appears to show the official pointing her finger dismissively at the veteran.
Then it got worse.
“She turned around at the door and said to me, in a very loud voice that, what I did for this country did not matter,” the veteran said. “I was mad. I don’t take a lot of things personal. I really don’t, but that strikes a chord with me.”
#EXCLUSIVE: “She turned around at the door and said to me, in a very loud voice that, ‘What I did for this country did not matter’…I was mad.”
Hear from the veteran involved in this alleged interaction with a city worker at 10 and 11 on @ActionNewsJax https://t.co/wcxct4Onxj
— Russell Colburn (@RussellANjax) April 17, 2018
The army veteran doesn’t wish to see the city official fired but does believe a reprimand is in order.
“I think there should be some serious reprimand to her,” he said. “She needs to apologize to the veteran community, and to every American who supports us.”
Should this official be reprimanded, fired, neither, or both? Tell us what you think below!
HT: Action News Jax
