A restaurant manager flew a Ukrainian flag. Hateful messages followed.

Robert59

Robert59

Well-known Member
Location
Now I live in Tennesee. Did live in Michigan.
Ben Ashlock thought he had settled things with a customer complaining about the Ukrainian flag atop the Kentucky steakhouse he manages.
Ashlock had opened up to the man about his personal connection to the war-torn country: He and his wife had adopted a teenage son from Ukraine three years earlier and forged friendships in the process. When Russia invaded, he wanted to show his support.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2022/04/15/kentucky-restaurant-ukraine-flag/
 

Ben Ashlock, who is in the USA, should have understood that in a war there are passions on both sides. Flying a flag over your home identifies your side of the war, which is appropriate. But I believe flying the Ukranian flag over a business enterprise is another thing. How would Ashlock like eating at a restaurant flying a huge Russian flag? Ashlock is the one introducing partisan issues into what was neutral territory. I don't approve of the extreme threatening responses. But again , you have to be deaf to the emotions in a war, and why are your flying one side's flag over a business if not to call attention to it. And then wonder why you're getting negative responses.
 
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We used to have Canadian flags flying on our disability scooters, then the anti vaxxers have corrupted it for the time being,so now we are flying the Ukrainian flags. We don't want anyone to associate us with the anti vaxxers!
 

fuzzybuddy said:
Ben Ashlock, who is in the USA, should have understood that in a war there are passions on both sides. Flying a flag over your home identifies your side of the war, which is appropriate. But I believe flying the Ukranian flag over a business enterprise is another thing. How would Ashlock like eating at a restaurant flying a huge Russian flag? Ashlock is the one introducing partisan issues into what was neutral territory. I don't approve of the extreme threatening responses. But again , you have to be deaf to the emotions in a war, and why are your flying one side's flag over a business if not to call attention to it. And then wonder why you're getting negative responses.
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In the restaurant owner's defense, businesses all over the country are flying flags and lighting their business towers with the flag's colors. Even some state and federal buildings are doing it. The Eifel Tower is doing it. Our local utilities buildings and bridges are doing it.
 
Geezer Garage said:
As always no shortage of ignorant a**holes. Often wish you could just put a well placed boot up there butt. How anyone can support Putin in this horror can't be too bright, but my empathy for these people has run very, very short.
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Yesterday an acquaintance at the gym started spouting off about how Putin is saving us by getting rid of all the nazis in Ukraine and blah blah blah. With this guy's history of regurgitating fairy tale views from tainted sources I suspected this originated from a similar extreme source.
Then of course like the true believers always do, he accuses me of consuming FAKE news. :rolleyes:
I shouldn't let what's said by the clueless bother me, but it does because they end up dragging the whole of society down.
 
One car dealership near me is flying gigantic flags. One USA and the other Ukraine at the same height. It's incredible how much pandering is going on. Other sovereign countries have been invaded on bogus reasons and many times not a peep from businesses. I don't fly flags period. Don't want to bring notice to my home since some so-called normal person might be offended and shoot off a few rounds.
 
I was thinking about flying a Ukrainian flag in front of my house to show my support for their fight against Putin, but then after thinking about it, I decided against it.

First of all, it doesn't help Ukrainians at all. They won't see it. And even if somehow they knew they had the support of many Americans, what they need more than for people to fly flags is for our government to supply them with arms with which they can fight. That's happening, and I hope they're getting what they need.

Second, like what happened to the restaurant owner, it might piss off Putin supporters in my neighborhood. I'm sure there are some. There were a few in my old neighborhood and we got along just fine until we started talking politics. It was at that point that things got a bit ugly.

There are other ways to show our support, like donating to charities that are helping Ukraine fight or care for the injured. We don't need to wear our beliefs on our sleeves, so to speak. It's what we do in private that really matters.
 
When Walter Cronkite, Chet Huntley, David Brinkley, and Edward R. Murrow reported the news back in the day did we all sit around and say "FAKE NEWS"? No we did not. The media has become something totally different now where from channel to channel the news is slanted to fit the views of a certain population. Back in my day the News was the News and it was treated that way and reported that way and people listened to it and didn't fight over it. What is going on today in the media is completely ridiculous and even more what is going on in the differences between the people is even more ridiculous.
 
1956
John Camron Swazey appeared at 5:pM behind his desk with several typed pages on it; he preceded to read
the news.
No videos, no opinions just read the news.
(and sell Timex Watches on station breaks;))

My parents believed every word, maybe it was fake news-with only one TV channel--how are you to tell?
 
How did television reporting on the Vietnam War affect American public opinion?


As reports from the field became increasingly accessible to citizens, public opinion began to turn against U.S. involvement, though many Americans continued to support it. Others felt betrayed by their government for not being truthful about the war. This led to an increase in public pressure to end the war.

What happened to David Bloom NBC News?



Image result for journalist who died in iraq television news
On April 6, 2003, while covering the war in Iraq, Bloom, 39, died when a blood clot in his leg traveled to an artery in his lungs to cause a fatal pulmonary embolism, as a result of a condition known as deep vein thrombosis (DVT).

This has become a media WWIII with all the instant technology available to blow joe. Public opinion is being weighed heavily by all governments now. It feels like a powder keg is ready to blow. I sure hope this whole thing de escalates soon.
 
I love my country but don't fly any flags. I used to have a flag at the deck on the rock at the lake when we had a cottage. These days I lie low. I'm getting too old to argue with all those "kids" who think they know it all. I leave it to the young to shout, argue, protest, march or whatever. Me, I'm just happy to get up in the morning and find out I'm still breathing for another day.
 
fuzzybuddy said:
Ben Ashlock, who is in the USA, should have understood that in a war there are passions on both sides. Flying a flag over your home identifies your side of the war, which is appropriate. But I believe flying the Ukranian flag over a business enterprise is another thing. How would Ashlock like eating at a restaurant flying a huge Russian flag? Ashlock is the one introducing partisan issues into what was neutral territory. I don't approve of the extreme threatening responses. But again , you have to be deaf to the emotions in a war, and why are your flying one side's flag over a business if not to call attention to it. And then wonder why you're getting negative responses.
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Passions on both sides? Do you have a passion for Russia? Please do let us know. I'm all for this guy flying a Ukrainian flag and if this a**hole doesn't want to eat at his restaurant so be it.
 
Packerjohn said:
I love my country but don't fly any flags. I used to have a flag at the deck on the rock at the lake when we had a cottage. These days I lie low. I'm getting too old to argue with all those "kids" who think they know it all. I leave it to the young to shout, argue, protest, march or whatever. Me, I'm just happy to get up in the morning and find out I'm still breathing for another day.
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Like you, I lie low. It seems like anything can make you a target these days so I just keep things to myself. Decades ago, when I was a young grad student, one of the best lessons I learned wasn't from one of my professors but rather from a guy in one of my classes. He said that he approached each day with the assumption that people hadn't taken their meds. In other words, just assume that anyone can go off at any time for any reason. Maybe it doesn't sound so profound now but it honestly has served as a guide for me. And as a result, I lie low.
 
Treat people as though they are wild animals....don't attract their attention. Sad attitude but unfortunately, too many people do behave like wild animals looking for something to attack. Any excuse will do.
 
Lavinia said:
Treat people as though they are wild animals....don't attract their attention. Sad attitude but unfortunately, too many people do behave like wild animals looking for something to attack. Any excuse will do.
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(y)

second-jetliners-terrorists-al-Qaeda-smoke-billows-crash-Sept-11-2001.jpg
 
fuzzybuddy said:
Ben Ashlock, who is in the USA, should have understood that in a war there are passions on both sides. Flying a flag over your home identifies your side of the war, which is appropriate. But I believe flying the Ukranian flag over a business enterprise is another thing. How would Ashlock like eating at a restaurant flying a huge Russian flag? Ashlock is the one introducing partisan issues into what was neutral territory. I don't approve of the extreme threatening responses. But again , you have to be deaf to the emotions in a war, and why are your flying one side's flag over a business if not to call attention to it. And then wonder why you're getting negative responses.
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Mr. Ashlock is not only deaf, he's also stupid. I hope his wife & son don't go into his restaurant. Times are different now & their lives could be in danger. They might, anyway, when nutcases find out where they live.
 
I agree with those who say, "Don't attract unnecessary attention." There are all kinds of nuts out there, in case you haven't noticed. I wouldn't even put a bumper sticker on my car, something I did do in my more innocent olden days.
 
Nathan said:
Yesterday an acquaintance at the gym started spouting off about how Putin is saving us by getting rid of all the nazis in Ukraine and blah blah blah. With this guy's history of regurgitating fairy tale views from tainted sources I suspected this originated from a similar extreme source.
Then of course like the true believers always do, he accuses me of consuming FAKE news. :rolleyes:
I shouldn't let what's said by the clueless bother me, but it does because they end up dragging the whole of society down.
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Isn't it amazing how people who spout fake news accuse others of doing it?! They are ignoramuses who think they know it all. SMDH!
 
Nosy Bee-54 said:
One car dealership near me is flying gigantic flags. One USA and the other Ukraine at the same height. It's incredible how much pandering is going on. Other sovereign countries have been invaded on bogus reasons and many times not a peep from businesses. I don't fly flags period. Don't want to bring notice to my home since some so-called normal person might be offended and shoot off a few rounds.
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Yes, in this rural area though there are numerous houses with such banners as the "let's go Brandon"(whatever than means) flying. Everyone's got guns, even the weak minded crazies.
 

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