Legally Blind Vet Denied Service At Fayetteville Restaurant

[pecwae]

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. -- Sgt. Maj. Colin Rich was on a foot patrol in Afghanistan when snipers attacked. He still has the helmet showing where a bullet broke through, cracking his skull and sending bone fragments into his brain.

Now, the war veteran, who is legally blind, is fighting a different battle, this one for his own civil rights.

Rich said he, his wife and a friend were thrown out of Tony's Pizza in Fayetteville because of his guide dog, Indi. He said the manager told him, “I’m not serving you with that dog. Take the dog out.”

The wounded soldier claimed he even tried to show the manager his guide dog identification and a card citing the North Carolina law that allows service dogs in restaurants. Rich said he told the manager, “It's a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act. I am authorized to be in here. All I want is some lunch."

www.wral.com/news/10097965/detail.html

This is fucking outrageous anywhere, but a military town...WTF?

[bluestateguy]

1. That bonehead manager should be fired and exiled from the town

Sheer ignorance and stupidity.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

11. Come on, it's North Carolina! They name roads honoring

Pat Robertson, Jeffy Falwell and Oral Roberts there. Knowing that, WHY would you think they would act with any degree of humanity and understanding?

[Kookaburra]

16. I've never seen a road named for any of them

Billy Graham, yes. But he was born here, so...

I've never seen a Jerry Falwell Blvd. or one for any of the others you named. Where did you see them?

[marions ghost]

20. BS

One idiot does not represent North Carolina, just like one opinion does not represent DU.

Where are these roads you cite, what city?

[timber84]

28. Total BS

Please provide the locations of these roads.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

37. OK, ok, I saw, north of Ashville a small road with Jerry Falwell on it

[marions ghost]

44. uh huh

sounds like one of those private drives that you can a green street sign for...

[LostinVA]

51. Yup.

[LostinVA]

50. I lived in NC for many years -- you don't know what you're saying

I also know Fayettenam, having lived there for a few years: even though it's conservative and not gay-friendly, it is a very diverse town. Actually, alot of NC is diverse. And Purple. And even very, very blue.

Jerks all over the US do this to service dogs.

Good grief.

[KayLaw]

2. That is outrageous

How can a restaurant manager not know about guide dogs, for Pete's sake?

[Buzz Clik]

7. Think about this for a second ---

We have a manager of a pizza joint making a really bad decision.

Where do you think the pizza joint hired this guy? Havard School of Business? MBA from Berkeley? Of course not -- he's some local high school grad who came up through the ranks of The World of Pizza. With any luck, this dipshit learned from that incident.

[rfranklin]

12. Well, it's going to cost them a lot now for hiring a moran....

Of course, the Sgt. Major may not be the vindictive type.

[MADem]

27. Oh, he might be--he's contemplating legal action NT

[Patiod]

14. Good perspective!

It is always important to put things like this in perspective. It's not Walmart systematically robbing people of hours or one of the major airlines not letting the dog on board their plane, it's some local yokel who doesn't know service dogs from service stations.

[LostinVA]

53. Tony's Pizza is local, but they know the law

[lapislzi]

17. Doesn't excuse him

Courtesy and human decency are not courses to be taken in business school. Makes you wonder, though. Who IS teaching the next generation of Americans to be courteous and decent human beings?

One would hope it would be taught by example at home, in schools, and in places of worship. If not, then where?

[cally]

36. But, the owner hasn't made an apology

What the owner should have done is immediately apologize and offer 20 free meals to the vet and his family. Then, sponsor some veterans event. Otherwise, the owner implicitly agrees with the manager's actions.

[LostinVA]

54. The bulk of the economy of Fayetteville is from Bragg and Pope

And retired militray who live there. This dude is going to go out of business by Groundhog Day.

[mainegreen]

3. Take heart. I'm sure due to publicity his business will go way down.

Maybe he'll even go out of business!

[MADem]

10. The blind guy will probably own the place by the time he's done

Nice dog, too....the servicemember was no kid, he had 21 years in and knows how to give an order!! And the partner of the nitwit who made the error was reduced to answering questions like Donald Rumsfeld: http://abclocal.go.com/wtvd/story?section=local&id=4670263

Rich, a 21-year veteran, lost most of his sight after being shot in the back of his head in Afghanistan.

"To be thrown out of a restaurant because of my injury and the dog is unacceptable," Rich said. "I was over there defending his rights."

Jim Crossgrove has spent most of the day fielding phone calls from an outraged public. His partner, Tim, was the manager who denied service. Crossgrove says Tim did not know the law when it comes to the Americans with Disabilities Act.

"I am sorry that it happened to this individual," Crossgrove said. "Did the individual know about ADA? No. Does he know now? Yes."

The Riches have an attorney and say they plan legal action.

[Clark2008]

35. How adorable!

What a cute little doggie. :)

I always have to restrain myself - a lot - to keep from petting service dogs (I know you're not supposed to) because they're always such adorable doggies.

[MADem]

4. I can't wait to see the follow up on this story, where the manager gets

his ass raked over the coals, or even fired, and the servicemember gets free pizza for life.

You KNOW it's coming!!! Already, they're trying to cover for the nitwit:

Another manager at Tony’s, Jim Crossgrove, said his co-worker made an honest mistake. He said the situation got out of hand before anyone had a chance to read the soldier's card.

"(The manager) didn't understand it," said Crossgrove. "I've only come across it once in my 40 years of food service."

Now, employees said they have been getting threatening phone calls because of the incident that they call a misunderstanding. The pizza employees have no hard feelings, however. They told WRAL that if Rich came back with his dog, they'd let him in and apologize.

Rich said that wouldn't happen. But he said he hopes that, at the very least, others wouldn't have to go through what he did. Since Fayetteville is a military town, more soldiers almost certainly will be injured in the line of duty.

[proud2BlibKansan]

23. They should feed him for free for the rest of his life

[MADem]

25. And his little DOG, too!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

http://www.meekermuseum.com.nyud.net:8090/tvpho9.jpg

[cui bono]

46. So they won't apologize unless he goes back? Why not send an apology and

invite him back for a free meal???

:shrug:

[Renew Deal]

5. Dump people do dumb things all the time.

And this manager was not thinking.

[TAPat]

6. Oooh, well *It was an honest mistake*

Honest mistake, my ass. Just another bigoted f***tard throwing his pizza-parlor-manager weight around.

Just in case activist DUers are interested:

Tony's Pizza
1820 Owen Dr
Fayetteville, NC 28304
910-672-0050

[Dora]

38. Wow. Overreact much?

You're inciting unnecessary harassment of a small business owner. Lame-o.

If you will read the article, you will learn that the incident was a result of ignorance, not bigotry (as you assert).

[TAPat]

47. Why, thank you for your thoughtful

and needlessly aggressive reply.

Thank heavens for freedom of speech...

Your friend,
Lame-O

[Dora]

48. What's needlessly aggressive is unwarranted harassment...

...and the incitement thereof. It's your call to "action" that I'm calling lame.

But, if the shoe fits, and all that.

Added on Edit: Yes, thank goodness for freedom of speech, and our RIGHT to express opinions and criticism of ourselves and others.

[LostinVA]

55. No, not ignorance

I've worked in restaurants and many retail establishments. People usually know the law... and even if he didn't, he refused to acknowledge the law. The owner still hasn't apologized. The business deserves a boycott.

The managers are the only ones saying it's an "honest mistake." And, I doubt the dude has only seen a service dog once in 40 years. They are CYAing big time.

And, they'll "let him in" if he returns??? OMG.

[panzerfaust]

59. It is, in fact, UNKNOWN

Read the article all you want, but what motivated the manager to take the action he (or she) did is not truly known. Certainly is difficult to understand why there was 'not time' to read the vet's dog id card.

So, It MIGHT have been simple ignorance.

It MIGHT ALSO have been that the manager is simply uncomfortable around people with disabilities, and wanted nothing to do with the vet.

Just seems like straight-forward compassionate conservatism to me

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

61. ignorance?

So if the guy didn't know it was required by law that he serve black people, and he chose not to, that would just be a case of ignorance, not bigotry?

[wakeme2008]

8. I see a for sale sign in this restaurants future.....

I do not think under new management will save this place :grr:

[Arkansas Granny]

9. Unfortunately, there are still people in our society who do not

understand the concept of service animal. I'll bet this manager never makes that mistake again.

[rfranklin]

13. and then there are the people who claim their lap dogs as...

being in the same class as a guide dog because they have a neurosis.

[democrank]

15. I`ll bet Sgt. Maj. Rich

will get more than a lunch out of this fiasco. I don`t care how poorly trained the manager might have been, the issue should have been settled once Sgt. Maj. Rich produced his guide dog identification card.

[rwork]

18. Garanteed "Worst Person in the World."

If Keith Olbermann reads DU.

[supernova]

19. Ha. Was thinking the same thing

:D

And I think Sgt Rich should make a little $$$ at this fuckwad's expense. What a moron.

[bbernardini]

21. Also outrageous is the awful writing in this story...last sentence...

"Since Fayetteville is a military town, more soldiers almost certainly will be injured in the line of duty."

More soldiers will be injured in the line of duty because Fayetteville is a military town? Sometimes I think they write this stuff on purpose to see if anybody will notice.

[Fleshdancer]

29. LOL! Why does Fayetteville hate America??!!?

Hurting our soldiers like that. Damn that town. :crazy:

[sarge43]

22. It's federal law that a list of rules concerning the Disabilites Act

as they apply to both employees and customers is posted in the work areas of any business. If that list wasn't posted in Tony's Pizza, then the owner is in trouble. If that snot 'manager' didn't or couldn't read it, no excuse.

[LostinVA]

56. Correct -- that's why I say both managers are lying n/t

[marions ghost]

24. OK y'all

the wounded vet made his point and it got a lot of publicity that will damage the restaurant. People such as this restaurant owner do stupid things everyday. They learned a big lesson.

And that's about as far as this should go sayeth Judge Judy.

[lonestarnot]

26. This is a money maker for Sgt. Maj. Colin Rich. He needs a good lawyer.

Would he like to be the cook? Host? Cashier? Bar tender?

[rox63]

30. I have a friend that this happens to all the time

She is not blind, but she has a licensed service dog because of mobility problems due to a chronic illness. The dog helps her get dressed, fetches things for her, and helps her stay upright when she is able to walk. He's what is called a 'balance dog'. She has been denied service in restaurants and stores because of the dog, even though he's a trained & licensed service dog, and she has the licenses and id that proves this.

[prairierose]

34. I work in a tourist area...

We see many types of guide or service dogs in the summer. This year I noticed many of them wearing a vest that said, " Please do not pet me, I am working." Since I often greet the dogs who come into our store, I talked to several of the people who had service dogs this summer. I learned quite a bit about the different types of problems that service dogs can help with. I did meet a balance dog recently and several people with heart problems who had service dogs. We even saw some guide puppies in training.

One thing I do not understand about the story is how anyone could not recognize the harness that a seeing eye dog wears. :shrug:

[Katzenjammer]

41. "how anyone could not recognize the harness"

That's what did it for me, too. Those harnesses are about as distinctive as it gets.

I suppose if the guy has lived in one neighborhood in Fayetteville all his life, and doesn't really notice what's going on around him, then maybe he wouldn't be aware of what those harnesses mean. But if he's been anywhere other than his backyard, isn't cognitively disabled, and is sufficiently observant not to stumble over most curbs, then I can't see how he could legitimately make such a 'mistake'.

[pecwae]

42. Same thing happened in SE Durham

Baba Ghannouj refused service to an assistance dog. The female patron had dined there several times previously, but the last time the owner told her not to come in and never come back because her dog brought in dirt and other patrons complained. The story ran in the Durham Herald-Sun, but you have to pay for the archives. I have boycotted Baba Ghannouf since that incident and know the woman made a complaint under ADA.

[treestar]

31. What a moran.

[Hepburn]

33. No kidding.

How can ANYONE not know what a licensed guide dog is??? I mean, I was a child in grade school and I knew what the hell those dogs were. Where has that stupid manager been all his life? Living under a rock?

[Gman]

32. I hope it was a national chain restaurant

with real deep pockets.

[Freddie Stubbs]

39. It's called Tony's Pizza

Must be a chain, they're all over the place:

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=tony%27s+pizza&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=49.089956,81.738281&ie=UTF8&z=4&om=1

;)

[williesgirl]

40. I think they're all franchises. We had one in Fairfax, VA when I lived

there and the owners were local.

[LostinVA]

57. It's a local restaurant n/t

[Dragonbreathp9d]

43. I would of told the manager

"Good, you motherfuckers wont be getting any more business from me, or anyone I know!"

then I would have stood outside and told people what happened and asked them to eat elsewhere

[photogirl12]

45. I hope

that no one in Fayetteville eats at that establishment ever again. That is just wrong!!!

[LostinVA]

49. Totally illegal -- and I lived in Fayetteville

Tony's will soooo be boycotted and badmouthed.

Plus, as I said, it's illegal -- I hope the Sarge and Indi sue the owner's ass.

[pecwae]

64. I lived in Fayettnam

or Fatalville, take your pick, for about 6 years, posted 4 of those on Bragg. I don't see Tony's recovering from this. If it weren't for the military Fayetteville would dry up and blow away.

[dkofos]

52. Hope to reading of the lawsuit soon

[napi21]

58. I hopethis fellow contacts the ACLU and sues the pizza shop!

I have 2 close friends who have service dogs, and we've never had any problem, no matter what restaurant we've gon to. I don't but the BS that the worker didn't know any better! My 6 year old grandson knows a licensed service dog can go anywhere!

The worker is an idiot, and a dog hater at the same time! Sue there a**es off!!!!!

[dkofos]

62. If it were me I would have told him to call a cop

[Greyhound]

60. The manager of Tony's Pizza votes. Think about it. n/t

[Bryn]

63. I have a Service Dog

Named Shane. She is a hearing/signal dog for the hearing impaired. So far I have no problem taking her to restaurants. We got kicked out only once ..... from "Welcome Center" in Louisville several years ago. The lady wouldn't read ID card and paper, was so stubborn. It already has been reported. Several times I was mistreated in places like Wal-Mart, Home Depot, etc. because they thought only guide dog for the blind counted as a service dog. Many people have no idea that there is such a service dog for different kinds of handicapped people now.