Vets terrorized by frat clowns
From Fox News comes the story that veterans on a retreat in Panama City, FL were subjected to frat-boy behavior.
[Linda Cope, the founder of the Warrior Beach Retreat] tells me the fraternity members were staying in the same resort – and caused a night of mayhem. The college kids made derogatory comments about the warriors’ wives, threw items off balconies and desecrated an American flag.
She also said one of the warriors and his service dog were spit on.
Television station WJHG identified that man as Nicholas Connole.
“They actually spit on me and my service dog as well, and that’s just so disrespectful and it hurts,” he told the television station.
There were local reports of frat boys throwing beer on veterans and ripping an American flag out of the ground.
Emory University students have been implicated in the incident, although the university denies that. Some University of Florida students have been disciplined;
Zeta Beta Tau International confirmed that three members of the University of Florida chapter have been expelled from the fraternity and both university chapters have suspended all activities.
“There is no doubt that some of our members engaged in ugly and unacceptable behavior,” Executive Director Laurence Bolotin wrote in a statement. “Their actions have no place in ZBT or anywhere, and they will not be tolerated.”
Yeah, well, here’s the thing; only youngsters who were conditioned by their families and the university environment would consider it acceptable to treat veterans like they did that day. Nothing like this happens in a vacuum.
From WJHG;
Some veterans say they now know how Vietnam Veterans felt when they came home. They say they were subjected to similar harassment by a group of college students.
“They actually spit on me and my service dog as well, and that’s just so disrespectful and it hurts. I come and I feel honored and I feel safe and that I belong, but now I feel like I’m defending myself,” said wounded veteran Nicholas Connole.
Category: Veterans Issues
I am waiting for Lars or his ilk to show up to defend the students exercising their 1st Amendment rights to protest or some such nonsense.
I don’t think these frat pukes realize how lucky they are to still be *upright*
/take one down, pass him around, 98 frat boys being dragged down the hall.
+1
Oh crap! Sorry Chip, I inadvertently hit “report” instead of “reply.” My bad!!!
On to my reply:
They are probably now realizing it now, as in the Fraternity world they are now considered lower than whale shit.
This is *not* “typical” Fraternity behavior (though I’ve been told that this particular chapter already doesn’t fit the normal profile). Most Fraternities, especially in the South, are vigorous supporters of the military and of veterans, and tout their own prominent veterans during recruitment.
Don’t take the actions of this set of dumbasses to represent Fraternity attitudes toward veterans and the military in general.
These frat-boys should be ashamed of themselves! I’m a disabled and though I’ve never been spit on, this hurts me too. If they were my kids and they treated veterans like this, I’d disown them. I hope these kids, that’s right kids, get exactly what they deserve to the fullest extent.
Not surprized folks.
Jonn nailed it: where is mommy dearest, daddy do gooder and our fine institutions of higher learning?
They are absent at the table of character building!
OUT!
Karma is a bitch. And she’s in heat.
If I had a service dog, I think I would teach it to like the taste of frat boy.
Tell ’em I’m coming. And hell’s coming with me.
I’ll ride with yah. LMAO !!!!!!!
My former platoon(s) would have eaten this up.
A least the Infantry is good for something.
Green Thumb…Roger That Sir! Even old Infantry guys my age would have kicked some ass and taken few names and my pen was long ago, out of name taking ink!
Sparks, I am going to have to steel that out of ink comment.
Infantry: just give us a reason
From what I’ve seen, Infantry doesn’t need a reason. Just a place.
And if there needs to be a combat assault into a hot LZ, I’ll fly left side and 3/17 will be on the right side. We will provide suppressive cover fire while the “Insertions” occur.
“You Call, We Haul”
Black Widow Double Deuce – Out
These special little snowflakes need an ass-whooping, out loud and in public.
Of course we have a vested in that this was perpetrated upon a group of veterans. The reality, for me, is that I would be disturbed by this level of lawlessness being perpetrated against any group or individuals who had the audacity to be present when these special little snowflakes decided to act out.
Were any of them arrested? At least some of the acts described were assault. If no one was arrested, why not?
‘And their actions will not be tolerated.’
Yes, they ARE tolerated, and that’s why things like this keep happening. I want to see assault charges, I want to see hate crime charges, I want to see jail time with heavy fines, I want to see ruined college degrees, I want to see prohibition to college attendance, I want to see immediate demand of payment on student loans.
When the little molly-coddled sociopaths act like criminals, they need to be treated like criminals. Make it hurt. That’s the only thing they will ever understand.
Great points. We can only hope. But the cynic in me says it’ll never happen.
Oh come on; they were just kids being kids! It’s not like they murdered anyone.
Enough sarcasm.
I noticed that Emory University has been mum about the whole thing; I wonder why? As for the little derelicts…..I mean darlings; a nice ass whoopin’ sounds like it’s in order. It’s probably long over due since I can bet mommy and daddy were all hipster about time outs and no spankings.
Actually, this sounds more like drunken batshit craziness than anything you can hang a trend on. Back in the day, the kind of people who would rag on vets were typically of the Marxist-Leninist bent who would no more join a fraternity than they would give up their Che t-shirts.
It’s also surprising that the vets weren’t on the Florida frat boys like a gator on a poodle. It’s real hard to imagine the same result with a gathering of vets from, say, the 173rd Airborne; the college kids would probably be lucky to avoid intensive care. Instead we get:
“They actually spit on me and my service dog as well, and that’s just so disrespectful and it hurts…”
Seems to me like somebody needed to cowboy up.
No, they didn’t need to cowboy up. Many of them were with their spouses and probably didn’t want to spend the weekend in jail for beating the crap out of the little derelicts. Assault charges and conviction can be a black mark on your employment prospects or getting a carry permit, etc.
But who is assaulting who, OT? If some drunken out-of-control fool spits on you or your dog, it’s a clear provocation, and threat of immediate bodily harm. You should have the right to remove the threat via self defense. I’m not a lawyer or a LEO, but it seems doubtful the legal system would side with the frat boys given the circumstances. Not even in Florida.
Personally, I have a real problem with the idea that people should just passively roll over in the face of aggressive and outrageous behavior. That everything should be shoved off on the cops and courts. I would argue that the world might be a better place with a bit more street-level justice. Bad things happen because good people don’t act.
Just my two cents…
Oh, I don’t disagree with what should have been done, however, I was pointing out what would probably have happened. You know; the old “well these guys said you and your dog went nuts and attacked them for no reason; do you have any witnesses that saw them spit on you and your dog”?
I agree.
Show me a an Infantry PH recipient with his spouse that would have walked off.
Now show me 10 or 15 together.
But I saw a WWP shirt so I am guessing many of them were not wounded.
In really good fiction, the next chapter covers the events, in glorious detail, where a bunch of active-duty Infantry, waiting to deploy overseas, decide to attend the next open beer bust of the offending fraternity. They proceed to demonstrate highly motivated and highly skilled drunken boorish behavior, that only intoxicated Infantryman can truly deliver. And, of course, the frat gets to handle the morning-after cleanup.
The platoon wise-ass sends a challenge to their nearby brethren in the other services to help show the offenders additional good times at the subsequent events. Sort of set up a duty roster to attend subsequent events.
Purely fiction, of course.
Aw, now that’s just pure ornery cussedness, right there.
I love it! 😀
Please – make it reality !!
OC
Back in the nineties, Second Tank Battalion was doing gunnery at Fort Pickett, Virginia. One of the young Marines met a young lady that attended a local college, and commenced to wooing her. A few local frat boys came across the couple, and thought it would be a dandy time to give the young Marine a good ass whipping, which they proceeded to do. this young Marine made his way back to Ft Pickett and shared his story of woe with his friends. A senior and salty Lance Corporal (the wonderful breed that makes the Marine Corps tick) took charge, organized a plan of attack, and led a raid on said fraternity house. A true period of pain was visited on said fraternity boys by the Salty Lance Corporal. All avenues of retreat were covered by Marines eager to pummel, and an assault force hit the house like Task Force Ripper. After the festivities, the Marines led by the Valiant Salty Lance Corporal conducted a tactical egress to Fort Pickett. Shortly, all members of the raiding party were lined up in front of the Battalion Commander. it seems one of the fraternity boys in the frat house that day was the son of a very high ranking Army officer. the Battalion Commander eyed the line of offending Marines and said, “Bad!” He then walked down the line and personally smacked each Marine on the top of his hand, before dismissing him.
True story.
The Farmville Nineteen.
You forgot a few things:
1. “I was there” (or not 😉 )
2. “No shit”
3. “A friend of mine told me about this”
4. “How’s your hand doing these days?” 😀
#2 should be “This ain’t no shit…”
Chip,
Nice response, but no, this actually happened. I was a young SSgt fresh off DI duty. The Bn Commander is now a retired full bird, and greatly due to his actions in this case, one of the few LtCol’s I worked for that I hold in the highest esteem. This was one of the coolest things I saw play out in the Corps, and a memory that I treasure. I wasn’t one of the Farmville raiders, they were all Lance Corporals and below, but did witness most of the rest. I believe the school where the fraternity was located was Lawrence University in FarmVille, Virginia.
My point with this story, is not to worry. Somewhere, some Specialists or Lance Corporals are plotting revenge for this. The clan will have payback.
Back in 1999 or so our command went on DET to NAS Fallon. One of our Shipmates got his ATV and truck stolen by a local from one of the trailer parks. The Shipmate got his truck and ATV back but was denied justice because LEO’s said they would have to impound both as evidence to procecute the retard thieves.
So two nights before we all headed back to our Base about 50-60 Sailors went to the trailer at about 4am. A couple groups waited at the entrances of the trailer and 2 other groups proceeded to light the thieves cars on fire after breaking all the windows. Then a few sailors started breaking all the windows of the trailer itself. I started walking back to one of the running cars when several Sailors started discussing actually burning down the trailer!
Thank God they did not burn the trailer down and everyone ran to the cars and trucks to get back to base. The thieves were too scared to come out of the trailer so they were not harmed. When we got back to Lemoore our chief went from shop to shop and asked if we knew anything about car fires and not a soul admitted to anything and it was dropped.
Lastly I was there, and thankful they did not set fire to the trailer. It was an organized group that quickly turned into a mob bent on revenge.
Little jerkoffs need a tune-up…and by tune-up I mean old school tune-up…the phone book to the head kind of tune-up.
DISCLAIMER: Not that I ever advocate violence against anyone under any circumstance. No one should ever be a vigilante, that’s my story and I’m sticking to it!!
Little bit of “wall-to-wall, make the windows sweat, bounce that raggedy ass off the car’s hood and dislocate at least seven of their bones” counseling, VOV?
What’s a phone book?
sorry, couldn’t resist – you’re dating yourself, VOV.
Ironically, ZBT’s web site says it was founded as the world’s first Jewish fraternity. (I expected otherwise.)
Must be something with Georgia universities – remember the Valdosta school issue with the flag and the ex-AF pinup lady? Valdosta canceled classes today due to scheduled counter-demonstrations in support of the flag.
Good to hear that Valdosta is feeling the heat. And may it continue until they institute a mandatory flag etiquette class for all students.
You have to be shitting me. I can’t be the only one that wants to vomit over the tone of this article. Poor little veteran and his doggy got spit on. He is the kind of born again hard killer we need facing ISIS.
Dear invisible man in the sky, save me! A bunch of college dipshits made fun of him. Why is he not stomping their guts out? Or getting his ass kicked trying.
Fuck you. Not everyone wants to get stomped when they’re outnumbered by 15 fratboy doucherags.
Iknow, thats why they are called pussies.
Lets
Let’s play this one out. This vet gets harassed by a group of guys who outnumber him by a lot. He clocks one in the mouth and then proceeds to get dog piled by the rest, who claim sled defense when the cops arrive and laugh as our vet gets slapped with an assault charge.
Wow, that sounds like a great price to pay just to keep some faggot ass internet tough guy named Dave Hard-on from calling him a pussy.
Go eat a fat baby’s dick.
While you ladies are dickslapping each other
( http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m73/kashfleezy/dickslap.gif )
I’m still laughing at:
“Go eat a fat baby’s dick.”
/Laugh every time I hear that.
😀 😀 😀 😀
And now it’s 2 to 1 Dave……
Get off his dick you toady ass bitch.
You misread me.
I meant to support you, not him.
My bad, sorry.
Your comment really bugs the hell out of me – how do you have ANY idea how this guy is injured? That service dog could be a seeing-eye dog, for instance… he could have TBI from an IED (and last I heard that often has weird effects on your emotions as well) – he could be Vietnam era and physically unable to dance with someone half again his size – man, you don’t know enough to make judgments. You’re often spot on – but I think in this case your reflexes are ahead of your sense.
Stop calling me names, it hurts my feelings. I will have to get a puppy to make me feel better.
Gotta admit, this is funny.
Dave,
How “combative” is appropriate if one is accompanied by companion non-combatants who will get dog piled if you get frisky? people you may be morally bound to protect from harm, who -will-get the ever loving crap knocked out of them, or worse.
Still up for that fight?
Your -first- duty is to protect those who cannot protect themselves, that you have a moral duty to protect. Consider “I will guard everything within the limits of my post, and quit my post only when properly relieved.” (Or however another particular service puts that one.) If that post is portable, and non-combatant, your -duty- is to swallow your pride and remove the non-combatants from the potential harm.
Then you can think about squaring up any debts, in the cold rational light of a planned and prepared action, unencumbered.
My pride can take a shower. Duty is foremost. Also, the looks on opposing faces when they meet the “unencumberd” version of you, well it is priceless.
I have no doubt that at least a few of the men on the receiving end of the frat crap are eating themselves up over having to eat shit to protect others. That sort of choice can require more balls than just unleashing a stupid, unplanned, and counterproductive attack.
Duty first. If you fail that, what is left in which to take pride?
or, if you honestly believe attacking in this situation would be wise, especially for those combat-inept nearby, what is your thinking of how it would turn out better? How to make it so? Sober hooligans might retreat from a strong response. drunken mobs tend to be prideful right back, and harder to intimidate.
You’ve hit the nail on the head. Sometimes it takes more bravery not to walk in fighting — to take the hit in order to preserve and protect those you are responsible for. Of course, these frat kids have incurred a debt that goes to the core of their spirit, and they don/t even know it. The thing about people who act like those frat kids is that they are doing what they do because their souls are diseased. And it’s a kind of abscess that will not heal spontaneously. Some of those kids will eventually be healed because they will end up in a situation that forces insight. Some will find God. For the rest, it will fester until the disease destroys their potential — in ruined lives, broken relationships, and lost opportunities. And they will lose it all because they will never gain insight about the evil that they embrace. Even if they end up with the big houses and big boats and vacations on the Riviera, there will be an emptiness that will destroy them, and that some will never even recognize. They will know something is missing, but they can’t fix it. And they will hate the people who are whole. Think of Bill and Hillary and their marriage of convenience. Then think about the couples you know in their 70s who have had real marriages that lasted 50 years –relationships built on half a century of love, trust, integrity, shared challenges, triumphs and failures, fears and joys. Do you think Bill and Hillary even know what they have missed? Think about Obama’s faux Christianity. Then think of those who have built a life of real spirituality and live that live to the fullest. Do you think that Obama even knows what he’s missing? Think about these vets who have built lives of honor, valor, and integrity. Then think about the lives those frat kids are building; they will be blind to what they have lost because they never had the vision to see what they might have been. OF course, way down deep, they *do*… Read more »
You have some valid points, particularly if spousal units are involved. Could be he very well had a legit reason to sit by and do nothing while he was spit on, watched others piss on the flag, rip them out of the groud, and dump beer on him.
I watched a dozen videos of this event. The guy is not old enough to be a Vietnam era guy, doesnt look old enough to be OIF, but he could be. He does not appear to be blind, but he could be. Does not appear to be missing any body parts, but he could be. There might have been some valid reason he didn’t do anything about it, could be he is just a pussy.
I agree there is a place for protracted thinking. There is also a time for decisive action. I get the whole keyboard commando thing, I guess it kinda makes me look that way. Thats fine, I understand why people would take that track.
Those that read what I post here and know me are all too aware I dont put up with that kind of shit. If you own restaurants, bars and strip clubs long enough you learn quickly if you should pick up a pen or a bat. I have stood still while some drunk slob cussed me countless times.
Spitting, pissing, throwing beer, nah. I honestly dont think it is in me to just stand there for that. 1 or 15 of them. I have had the shit kicked out of me more than once but they always have to leave a deposit. Then again, I never claimed to be the brightest crayon in the box.
Semper Fi
Had my spousal unit read the whole thing. Her take is, if she was with me when it happened she would do her usual “No Dave you shouldn’t” thing but definitely wouldn’t try to stop me. She said it wouldnt matter if they were doing it to Veterans or anyone else, she keeps enough money for bail.
Good points.
I re-watched the above clip, with extra attention to the male interviewee. His responses do seem odd. I do not see ‘barely restrained combatant’ in the body language. Nor do I see the shame of a coward. He seems bemused, as if he is having trouble processing that something bad could happen.
Perhaps I am missing the culture aspect of his cohort. If someone was raised to think violence is never a solution, conflict is bad, and he then served in a military role where he was a passive participant, not an active fight-seeking combatant, then when confronted by a gaggle of goons he may have been totally unprepared to initiate a fight, or make a calculated decision not to fight, or even to realize that fighting was an option.
And now I understand why you are annoyed. Wow. I am now having a rather profound WTF? moment.
I have to cut the dude a little slack. News crews could edit Chesty Puller or George Patton to look clueless. I wasn’t there, and we haven’t seen the whole tape.
And I am again trying real hard not to go where I was going a moment ago. Wow.
Good points, sir. I will reconsider what you said.
Speaking for myself. Spit on me or my dog and the spitter will have spilt lips. Just pure reaction and screw the odds. i might mention I am single and won’t back down. I was not raised that way. Joe
fuck you. that is all.
The Spoiled Nasty Class.
I worked my way through college – full-time – and NEVER got to take a traditional spring break. Spring Break and all my other breaks were just time to work more hours.
I had class from 7am – 3pm then worked at a hotel until 11pm. The year after that, I had the same school schedule and worked at a pizza place until 2am. I downed a couple of No-Doze with a jumbo coffee to stay awake in my 7am math class.
These losers should get a job to be able to appreciate what their parents have given them. They also wouldn’t have time to party and make assholes of themselves.
Similar story here. And I agree whole-heartedly with you. But have you ever suggested to a proud parent of a college bound kid, who the parents are mortgaging the house to fund as well as stripping their savings, that the little darling should work their way through college? Horror of horrors! Yeah, whatever. You know what my folks said about college to me? “If you want to go to college, you have to figure out a way to pay for it.” So, that’s what I did.
Noooo BIG Suprise here !!!!!!!!
They don’t just magically evolve like this. The precious little glittery unicon shicter-sniffers grow up always being reassured they’re the most precious snowflakes in existence by parents that want to be their pals as well, then they go to some university where they’re fed liberalism by Marxist hacks, then they go to some frat party in a place known for spring break debauchery at the same time they have something for Wounded Veterans. I wonder just how serious the beer-swilling little cream puff of a representative fo those “Frat Rats” is about finding and holding those responsible for that shit? Will he really do something, or is he just looking for a few scapegoats that aren’t in the most popular cliques?
I dislike college pukes more and more every year.
Long-time lurker here, but felt compelled to post about this nonsense.
As a student veteran at UF, this entire incident hits close to home. We’ve been working extremely hard over last few years to make our school as veteran-friendly as possible. Between opening up dedicated spaces, hiring counselors, streamlining the entire enrollment process, and much more, we’ve made noticeable strides.
These dirtbags, however, have set that entire movement back and left a skidmark all over the school’s reputation. A chapter closure and expulsion are the least the administration can do to start taking this deplorable soup sandwich into calmer waters.
As our old AWEPS would say: …”the sorriest of sorry bastards…”.
Beginning to think they don’t make them like they use too in the military.
What would you have done?
zbt@zbtnational.org and just send this article. they are the parent organization and maybe they will close the frat house down
And how different would this have been written if a few vets had popped a couple eyeballs, smashed a windpipe or 2, and broken ribs on “Kids”. Bail still wouldn’t be made.
Former 11B- PLEASE see my reply to your reply above.
Thanks, John D
I saw it a minute ago and replied, but I’ll reply again. I was seeing red and misinterpreted what you wrote, my most sincere apologies.
It’s all good…..
Crap like what happened here with the frat maggots, is the reason I would never do this. Trip at a hotel, If I was there when this happened I would have lost it, and would have done a one by one safari on these POSs
Damn brats I wish I would’ve been there some punks would have been flying out the windows and a major RESET Would have been preformed. Welcome to the new America a bunch of I’m still sucking on my mommys tit and my daddy buys me anything I want…… Damn SNOWFLAKES
These gutless punks need to be taught a lesson.
I hope they will have a “rendezvous with destiny,” involving some young and highly motivated bucks who have been in Iraq and/or Afg.
Daddy cant buy new eyes, nose, fingers.
Poetic justice would be having to explain the scars to his kids one day.
Spitting on Vet’s?
After racist songs, alcohol OD’d pledges, biting off Hamsters heads, pillage, plunder and rape, is anyone surprised at the depth of degradation subhuman drunken frat boys will descend into?
I’m not really surprised. Way back in 1994 on a return trip from Saudi Arabia, our plane arrived at the terminal in Philly at the same time as a plane load of students (high school or college, I don’t know which) returning from Spring Break in Cancun. Being that we were all active duty Air Force coming off of an Air Force chartered flight we were quick cleared through customs. The kids from Cancun were very vocal about their belief that it was unfair that they had to go through customs and we did not. Here we were in uniform coming back from a deployment and these kids thought we should have to undergo the same level of customs scrutiny as a bunch of kids flying in from Mexico.
Since we got through customs first we were able to get a hold of the baggage carts first. That started a whole new wave of anger from the kids. How dare we take the baggage carts for our duffel bags and MOPP gear (enough for 3-6 month deployments) while they had to wheel entire suitcases through the airport! By this time they had become so snotty toward us that it took the intervention of a full colonel to keep us from, um, explaining to the kids why we deserved a little less scrutiny in customs and dibs on the baggage carts.
So, yeah, I fully expect this kind of behavior from college kids on Spring Break.
The frat boys won’t face any charges. See here: http://usat.ly/1cE3jqP