Thread: News Flash Olive Garden Forbids US flag at AL Restaurant

This story was just shown on FoxNews a few minutes ago.

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/10/13/ol ... ican-flag/

UPDATE: OLIVE GARDEN Apologizes, Allows U.S. Flag In Restaurant

Posted: October 14th, 2011 10:15 AM | Author: Henry D'Andrea

Should've have had a problem with it in the first place, however, Olive Garden has apologized for banning the American flag in their restaurants and are now allowing it.

Olive Garden apologizes for refusing to allow 80-year-old Marti Warren bring an American flag into their restaurant during her Kiwanis Club award banquet last week.

Olive Garden issued this statement: "We are very sorry for any misunderstanding about this issue. We do not have a policy at Olive Garden concerning bringing the American flag into our restaurants. Some members of our team were misinformed about company policy by our corporate office. As a company, we take responsibility for that and we regret it. We take pride in how we communicate to our restaurants and we are correcting this so it doesn't happen again. Like all Americans, we have nothing but the utmost respect and admiration for the American flag and everything it symbolizes, and we welcome anyone who wishes to bring the flag into our restaurants. In fact, we periodically provide American flag collar pins to our employees to wear while serving guests."

The American flag and political correctness

I am upset and deeply troubled by a story in The Star about Olive Garden’s policy on the display of the flag of our country. I would like to challenge that company and offer a few ideas and suggestions.

Olive Garden has fallen victim, in my opinion, to the wave of political correctness that seems to be so popular. In trying not to offend anyone, we have given up our willingness to stand up for what we believe. I am convinced that political correctness is a mortal enemy of our country. Charlton Heston expressed it succinctly when he said, “Political correctness is nothing other than tyranny cloaked in politeness.â€

Done..... you dont need my greenbacks either; Apology or not

At the heart of this issue lies a much greater problem than the issue of displaying the flag. We are becoming a nation that seems to be afraid to be who we are

The opposite of xenophobia is autophobia (fear of oneself) and xenomania (loving foreigners more than one's own people.

I will pass this along to other sites..........this should NEVER had been any kind of an issue with ANYONE

Vote In the poll !!!Olive Garden Apologizes To Kiwanis Club For Not Allowing American Flag In Restaurant

Marti Warren, 80, wanted to bring an American flag into an Alabama Olive Garden for the Kiwanis Club award banquet last week. To her dismay, the restaurant refused to allow her to bring the flag inside. "I felt like I had been slapped in the face," Warren said.

Olive Garden has since apologized. The company vice president contacted Warren on Wednesday and plans to visit the Oxford, Alabama Golden K Kiwanis Club. Olive Garden issued the following statement on its Facebook page, which, as of this writing, has sparked over 700 comments:

We’ve had some questions about whether or not guests can bring the American flag into our restaurants. We are very sorry for any misunderstanding about this issue. We do not have a policy at Olive Garden concerning bringing the American flag into our restaurants. Some members of our team were misinformed about company policy by our corporate office. As a company we take responsibility for that and we regret it. We take pride in how we communicate to our restaurants and we are correcting this so it doesn’t happen again. Like all Americans we have nothing but the utmost respect and admiration for the American flag and everything it symbolizes, and we welcome anyone who wishes to bring the flag into our restaurants. In fact, we periodically provide American flag collar pins to our employees to wear while serving guests.

Many of the commenters were angry at the Olive Garden; several were even claiming to boycott the chain. On The Stir, Jeanne Sager is willing to give the company more benefit of the doubt. "Just because we all (should) love our flag doesn't mean it belongs everywhere you go." She continues:

The Alabama restaurant said this was an unfortunate side effect of a blanket policy put in effect to prevent just this sort of kerfuffle. The way they'd been told, NO flags or banners are allowed in restaurants unless they have a private meeting room -- the Calhoun County site doesn't -- and yes, that includes the American flag.

Warren claims that she was told her group would be in a banquet room, and resents that they were instead seated by the kitchen.

What do you think?
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/1 ... 08956.html

Was the Alabama Olive Garden wrong to say "no" to the American flag?



Yes, customers should be allowed to display the American flag at restaurants.
54.57%

No, without a private room available, the restaurant was fair to deny the request.
32.67%

I'm not sure.
12.76%

Was the Alabama Olive Garden wrong to say "no" to the American flag?

Yes, customers should be allowed to display the American flag at restaurants. 54.59%

No, without a private room available, the restaurant was fair to deny the request. 32.67%

I'm not sure. 12.74%