MARINES dissed in Washington DC bar -- UNBELIEVABLE story

friend ^ | January 30, 2005 | self

[ConservativeGadfly]

A good friend called me a few hours ago terribly upset. Her two sons, both United States Marines, were in Washington DC last night (Saturday) with their dates. They went to the Hawk and Dove, which is a Capitol Hill watering hole.

Now before I go any farther here, understand that I know these two Marines and these are really good kids, hardly the rowdy type -- both went through OCS and are just not the troublemaking types.

At any rate, they were NOT ALLOWED entry into the Hawk and Dove. They were told that the military WAS NOT WELCOME and that especially was true for MARINES.

Is your blood boiling yet???? Mine is. I cannot reveal who these Marines' parents are, but let me tell you, my Freeper brethren, this is a patriotic family who has done much for our nation. (Their mother spends many weekends at Walter Reed with the injured soldiers and even had a house full of them over for Thanksgiving.) I'm telling you, this is an extraordinary family that has given much in service to our country.

So here's the deal. I want this bar to know of our displeasure with their disrespectful behavior toward these two young Marines.

At the very least, I'd like to see a round for these young men on the house and a profuse apology from the owner.

[ConservativeGadfly]

I'm so mad right now I could spit. Fellow Freepers, can you help me out here? Help my Marine buddies?

[mowkeka]

bump.

[Clemenza]

I figured the bar would be in Dupont Circle.

Then again, no. The inhabitants in Dupont Circle actually would LOVE to see a man in uniform.

[ConservativeGadfly]

Can you guys help me here please? I need to find anyone with military ping lists. I'm so mad I could spit.

[SandRat]

Cavalry is on the way CG.

[TankerKC]

Bump for later reading--to see if this is true.

[Vision]

Ok, let's verify this story and get it out.

[ConservativeGadfly]

That second phone number is a fax number.

CALLING ALL MARINE FREEPERS -- can ya help here?

[demkicker]

Wow, I'm irritated too, but you need to keep this thread alive by bumping it until tomorrow. No bar is open on a Sunday night.

[Miss Behave]

I could spit FIRE right now.

[StarCMC]

DIVA ~ something for your FReeper Action Ping list ~ be ready ~ you're gonna be pi$$ed off when you read this one.

Conservative Gadfly ~ what can we do? Do you have an address of this hell hole? Phone number?

[StarCMC]

Can you guys help here?

[mystery-ak]

Mike, do you know this place?

[Raycpa]

My son is a marine. He tells me that some marines have been pretty rowdy at times and have created many complaints from the public. Maybe the owner is concerned about fights.

[HitmanLV]

1. Why would they want to go to a place that treated them like this?

2. Why would anyone else want to go to a place that treated US Marines like this?

I'll cross that dive off my list, that's all.

[wtc911]

No bar is open on a Sunday night......

Not so here, another of the perks of living in NY.

[DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet]

Do you think it would be all right to refuse your son service at a bar or restaurant because he's a Marine?

[Raycpa]

Do you think it would be all right to refuse your son service at a bar or restaurant because he's a Marine?

If they have a consistant reputation for getting drunk and disruptive and causing fights ? Yes. Absolutely.

[StarCMC]

No it's not right IMHO. You son would deserve to be served and judged on his own merits. Just like these young men. Period.

[DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet]

Isn't that a kind of bigotry, holding all Marines accountable for the actions of some?

[Pajamajan]

Just keep getting the word out about this and I'm sure the hole-in-the-wall dive will have an out-of-business sign on their door or, they'll apologize. There's no excuse for treating our military like that. Grrrrr BUMP

[Calpernia]

Thanks for the ping.

[Doofer]

http://www.hawkanddoveonline.com/

[ConservativeGadfly]

I have been told that Laura Ingraham has contacted one of the Marines involved in this and she will be talking about this tomorrow.

[Vision]

While the Hawk 'n' Dove only rated a 90-second appearance on the television series 'The West Wing,'

Why am I not surprised?

[Thumper1960]

Ya beat me to it.

Need to contact them and see what the true "poop" is.

[Raycpa]

Isn't that a kind of bigotry, holding all Marines accountable for the actions of some?

If they consistently cause problems ? Yes.

In addition, when this happened where my son was stationed, he and his fellow Marines were confined to the base for month as punishment and guess what ? He was never part of it. So, the Marines held all of them accountable for the actions of a few.

[pepperdog]

"Far more doves than hawks belly up to the central rectangular bar"

That pretty much explains it doesn't it? Looks like they don't want any Hawks to hurt the Doves, so they don't let people who look like hawks in. Also notice the reference to The West Wing, or the Left Wing, another indication of their political leanings. The place is libby hangout, tell the Marines they wouldn't like it there and to find a real bar. The more I think about it the more I think it is a compliment to not be welcome in the place.

[auboy]

According to reviews, the food and service has gone way downhill. Sounds like their courtesy has too.

[Raycpa]

No it's not right IMHO. You son would deserve to be served and judged on his own merits. Just like these young men. Period.

Sure he does but the owner deserves to have a peaceful bar too.

[U S Army EOD]

Have you got the telephone number of the resturant by any chance? Maybe this would be a good story for a local TV or radio station to investigate.

[Thumper1960]

Perhaps, the barkeep would ban Blacks because statistics show a higher rate of incarceration?

[MJY1288]

No, but if it's like the other Capitol Hill Bars, it's a hang out for high rollers and unless you're connected, or dressed in a $5,000.00 suit, you're not getting in. I say we make some reservations in the name of Bill Moyers and Michael Moore for a party of 50 :-)

[Calpernia]

You are comparing receiving discipline from an authoritative rank to a civilian operation refusing service?

[JoeSixPack1]

For the last 10,000 years civilians have been dissing the military.
And for 10,000 years mothers have been outraged because of it and men in uniform have held their heads up high and walked elsewhere.
Or went in anyway and busted the place up. :-)

There isn't a vet on this board who hasn't been through this.

Semper Fi
USMC 73-75

[vaudine]

In WWII, and other times too, bars like this were put off limits to military. I think most were in foreign countries, but what the heck--parts of DC are both a foreign country and a war zone. Bet they would not like to lose ALL their military patrons.

And, I, too, think you don't get barred because of the actions of others. What if they tried to bar blacks because some rowdy blacks caused trouble there--never happen, of course, but it holds just as true for these marines as for blacks. This is profiling.

vaudine

[LADY J]

Sounds like a 'clique joint' to me.

Our Marines can find someplace that would honor them instead of spending their money and time with a bunch of snobs!

[Vision]

You know a better headline would be Marines refused service in DC bar

[Calpernia]

ping

[StarCMC]

when this happened where my son was stationed, he and his fellow Marines were confined to the base for month as punishment and guess what ? He was never part of it. So, the Marines held all of them accountable for the actions of a few.

That's different. The Marines can do that. A public establishment shouldn't.

The ACLU would be ALL OVER THIS if these were women or minorities. I'm sure they'll be jumping right in to defend these marines, right?

[auboy]

I'm sorry if I posted material not allowed on FR.

I went back to read some reviews. Sounds like our young Marines were saved from bad food, bad service and bad company.

[wtc911]

Any DC area Freepers can waltz down to Fran O'Brien's any Friday night and give them a check. The owners sponsor an all-you-can eat dinner for Combat Wounded from WRAMC and their families. They take a beating financially but keep doing it.

[StarCMC]

There isn't a vet on this board who hasn't been through this.

It still sucks and you should NEVER have to go thru it. You should have your beer tab picked up by the bar, IMHO. (Thank you for your service.)

[doug from upland]

I spoke with the manager a short time ago. He was on duty but claimed not to know about this. He also said that they have had trouble with Marines. When asked if he would let a Marine in tonight, he said he would.

Phone number can be found on superpages.com

[185JHP]

Been there; I doubt this story.

[ConservativeGadfly]

There is no doubt that there are some Marines who can get out of hand. I know these young men personally and know that they are not the rowdy type at all - they are very respectful young men who graduated top in their class at their universities and chose to go into the Marines. They did very well in OCS. I also know their parents quite well.

This was not a "I don't want marines in here because they are rowdy" situation. As it was described to me, this was clearly out and out contempt for all things military and particularly the marine corps.

[Raycpa]

You are comparing receiving discipline from an authoritative rank to a civilian operation refusing service?

Yes. Actions have consequences.

Listen, we don't know why this owner refused service. He could merely hate Marines or any military. That is wrong. But if he has had a string of bad experiences with Marines trashing his bar then no, I don't expect him to tolerate that and I don't think the Marines as a group would expect him to have to.