Posted on 07/13/2002 6:42:51 AM PDT by SheLion
Today, I sent my son-in-law to the Maine Smoke Shop in Brewer to buy some tobacco. He is 19 years old, and is in the military. The person at the counter asked for his ID, which I can understand. When she saw it, however, she showed it to the owner, and the owner said, “That’s no good, get out of here.”
My son-in-law told me several places in Bangor will not accept his military ID. What is wrong with this town? I will ask everyone else just as I asked the owner of that shop when I called him: Do you not appreciate having your country protected by our boys?
I am from a military family. My father was retired military, and I was born in Bangor, but I am ashamed of how most of the businesses in this town act and treat their customers. This is the most unappreciative town I have ever lived in, and I have lived in many.
Our military men and women should be treated with respect, as should any customer. To tell someone to get our of their store because of their ID is an embarrassment. Do they treat all military personnel that way? Judging by the economy around here, they should be kissing their feet, for more reasons than just that they are protecting us. I informed the Maine Smoke Shop that they just lost a customer because of their attitude, and if I didn’t live here now, and need some of the other stores around here, I would tell them the same.
Donna George
Carmel
MM
Oh! Don't think I don't know it! Independent Governor and a house ruled by the DemocRATS. No wonder the conservatives in this state can't get ahead or have our rights protected.
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As long elected state officals are writing laws which result in this utter disrespect for our service men and women, it is no wonder that a store owner would follow suite.
Recalling the Ken Burns Civil War series were he recounts stories soldiers from the Great State of Maine.. my eyes fill with tears, for that once Great State has lost it's way.
Do they also tax the retirement pay of the state workers that have retired from the state payroll?
If not, the taxing of other retirements may be disallowed.
Here in Alabama, my military retirement cannot be taxed by the state, simply because the state does not tax retired state workers.
A court case from a few years back. Don't know all the details, but I do know that the state had to refund a few million to those that they had previously collected from.
Check it out, it may have been a precedent-setting case with application to other states.
Move to Texas (San Antonio is loaded with military types) or Florida.
Bless you! However......we came up here for Loring Air Force Base in 1983. Bought a home in 1984. I landed a job with SATO, a government travel agency for TDY's and PCS moves. I worked there 8 years, right up until the base closed on September 30, 1994.
Hubby retired from the military in 1992, but went back to work on Loring as a civilian. When the base closed, a Government Finance Agency moved in. He was really lucky to land a job there as an accountant for the government.
We are pretty well dug in here, and he is just working so he can retire for good! So, at this stage in our lives, we just want to pass on through with some peace.
But........they say hind sight is 50-50. If we had known back then what we know now, you can bet we would never have settled way up here at the top of Maine.
When we first came to Maine back in 1983, we had a Republican Governor, and taxes were pretty fair. But over the years, the lawmakers became more and more liberal, and now since King has been Governor, taxes have gone through the roof, he has allowed a LOT of pet programs for the DemocRATS, and the whole government has gone to hell.
At least, living this far north, we should be pretty safe from terrorists, though. Nothing UP here. hehe! Unless they want to blow up potato fields. LOL!
Now my moto is: "It's their world, I'm just passing through." :(
GOD BLESS YOU CALVIN SUN! THANK YOU "SO" MUCH!
I carry a "Fee Basis" card from the VA that is used like normal people would use an insurance card. The care givers swipe my card, bill the VA and in most cases are paid more quickly and with less paper work than they would be if dealing with an actual insurance company or HMO.
If you are angry about being delayed in getting a pack of smokes you should see what I have to go through to get health care.
Typically when I have to go to a new Doctor they initially refuse to honor my card. Then it takes me days or weeks to find a Doctor of the same specialty who will accept payment from the VA. Or to hammer out the details of the transaction with the original Doctors office staff.
Almost every medical facility I have every used has originally tried to convince me to go elsewhere before they agreed to treat me. I am treated like a mooch who is looking for free care and get talked to that way frequently in crowded medical waiting rooms.
Finding a Dentist or a place to get eye glasses that will even discuss this manner of payment with me is a major challenge. I am grateful for the VA care. I am grateful that the VA recognizes my special needs and allows me to be treated outside the VA medical system.
I am not grateful for the "Tommy this and Tommy that" bums rush I get at the various Doctor's Offices. The most frustrating part of this often repeated ordeal is that once I am able to convince a Doctor's paper shufflers to "Fool with a Disabled vet" they truly do get paid higher fee's at a faster rate than they would with an insurance company or HMO.
I guarantee you that it is much more inconvienient and humiliating to be turned away from a medical specialist's office because they do not want to "Fool around with the bother" of billing the VA to treat a 100% Service Connected veteran. But you learn to live with these little slights in modern America.
OK. Now I am prepared to be flamed for sucking free medical care off of the Tax Payers. Flame away!!
OH MY GOD, I AM SO STUPID SOMETIMES!
Your RIGHT! We travel down to Bangor Commissary and BX several times a year. My God, they have their Air Force Base there, for heaven's sake!
I am SO stupid! Thanks for reminding me!!!!!!
I think the guy in the tobacco shop was more stupid than anything.
Excuse me, but I had this one renewed in 1998, and it has the holograms. Something none of them ever had in the past 25 years that hubby was active duty.
In fact, I am happy for posting this thread, because I need to go next week to have it renewed again.
No willyone, this is NOT an old ID! I will have this for the rest of my life as a dependent.
The legal age in Maine is "18" folks. 18!
The OWNER is the one who looked at it and told the military man to "GET OUT OF HERE!"
I think the OWNER needs to be EDUCATED!
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