I am a US Army veteran (E5, Honorable). Yesterday in a supermarket I saw this sign. I would not have even noticed what color clothing the employees were wearing if I hadn’t seen the sign. I asked the manager how employees wearing red on Friday supported people like me. She was clearly embarrassed by the question and deflected it upward to regional management as sending the sign.
Wearing red on Friday does not trigger in me this response, “Oh look! He/she supports me and other veterans!” This goes along with “thoughts and prayers” being sent as “aid” to disaster victims. Talk is cheap, and that is all we have here. Does wearing red on Wednesday insult vets? I don’t know, because the origin of this “tradition" is a mystery to me.. Red on Friday is the only consideration.
I posted this on the book of faces, and got a pretty big response. My veteran friends did not have any problem understanding my views. A lot of people who had not served didn’t understand the controversy and wondered why I would find it insulting. Some asked, “What SHOULD the market chain do to support veterans?”
I would start by eliminating empty gestures, and I suggested contributing MONEY (not cheap signs) to veterans’ causes, such as housing for homeless vets and treatment for PTSD. Instead of a sign about clothing, post a photocopy of the cancelled check.
Any other vets here? Thoughts on wearing red on Friday?