Due to their perception that all depictions of firearms in all situations – even in the context of military service – are bad, the Six Flags in New Jersey detained and kicked out a veteran and his family because he was wearing a military-themed shirt with a patriotic-gun design featured on it.
According to the report, Mario Alejandro was pulled aside after he entered the gate and told that he would have to leave or purchase a new shirt at the park’s over-inflated prices to cover up his shirt which they said violated their policy on all things “vulgar, offensive or violent.”
So, Six Flags, which category do you put our veterans in? Are they in violation for being vulgar? Do you find veterans and their service offensive? Or do you have an issue with violence that is required to keep all of you safe, comfortable, and free?
This shirt wasn’t a representation of gang violence, and the shirt is clearly labeled with the logo of a foundation that serves Marines and their families. According to the article, the guy made sure to let the many people around him know – loudly – that he was a veteran and being kicked out for wearing a military-themed shirt. I’m glad. I hope they lose business over it.
Six Flags is a Texas company, so I really should be able to expect more out of them. It’s a shame to see them going so extremely anti-gun that they even kick out veterans who used firearms to defend this country.
The ‘brainwashing’ is working as expected.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXwo9lARAgg
That’s hardly a surprise – after all it is New Jersey…..
Merle
It must be a New Jersey thing. I’ve gone to my local Six Flags park here in upstate New York wearing gun-themed t-shirts and nobody batted an eyelash about it.
At this point, the company is standing by the decision, though they claim that it is under review. However, since it was both a security guard and a supervisor who ordered the eviction even after the clarification that it was a military-themed shirt (apparently the American flag design was a little complicated for them to understand), I suspect they will stand by it.
… someone should remind them that “a picture of a gun” is not violent.
(I assume someone wearing a WWF shirt will be asked to leave, too, yes?
Wrestling is “violent”, after all – and some shirts, IIRC, actually depict violence!)
Six flags in Texas is anti-gun. The whole company is a-hole about guns. They don’t even want off duty cops packing heat.
I will not take my grandchildren there.
If you think you deserve to be treated differently than anyone else because you are an off duty cop, you might be the a-hole.
The t-shirt in question hardly seems vulgar or offensive. But I can’t think of a single instance where a veteran has “defended” this country with guns…..
Meh, private property. Their place, their rules.
Many people do have a profound discomfort with all types of violence, even sanctioned, lawful, and/or necessary violence. So it isn’t that surprising to me that this went down the way it did, especially in a place like Jersey where the populace has apparently been gelded.
It’s f#@*in’ Joisey. Whadda ya want?
Thrown my last dime into that steaming cess-pit. Let ’em sink.
I think the report is bogus. When I worked at one of the Disney theme parks, they would ask people with offensive t-shirts to put them on inside out. I can’t imagine why Six Flags wouldn’t ask the same thing. (And there are lots and lots of offensive t-shirts that don’t have guns on them.)
If you think it’s bogus because of that one fact, you’re wrong. Corporate already admitted they don’t give that option. They said in a statement that they only give two options. You can put on something else if you have it on you. If not, purchase a shirt from a gift store to wear.