CONCORD, N.C. — A Concord, North Carolina, veteran is fighting back after she received an anonymous note in a neighborhood food market parking lot.
The note said, "This parking is for veterans lady. Learn to read and have some respect."
Rebecca Landis Hayes responded in a Facebook post Monday:
"I know I parked in one of the Veteran Parking spaces today. It was hot. I had been in and out of my car several times already this afternoon, and I was only going to be a minute. Besides, the parking lot was full, so I just did it. It was the first time, and I won't do it again. I'm sorry.
"I'm sorry that you can't see my eight years of service in the United Sates Navy. I'm sorry that your narrow misogynistic world view can't conceive of the fact that there are female veterans. I'm sorry that I have to explain myself to people like you. Mostly, I'm sorry that we didn't get a chance to have this conversation face to face, and that you didn't have the integrity and intestinal fortitude to identify yourself, qualities the military emphasizes.
"Which leads to one question, 'I served, did you?'"
Hayes’ message has been shared thousands of times.
A veterans group in Concord said the note left on Hayes' car is disrespectful and sickening.
"There's no reason for something like this that gives everybody a bad name," Ken Bratton, a veteran, told WSOC.
Employees at the market apologized to Hayes on behalf of the person who wrote the note.