Female Navy Veteran Receives Rude Note Telling Her Not to Use a Veterans Parking Space — Here's How She Replied

Rebecca Landis Hayes, a female U.S. Navy veteran in North Carolina, recently received a rude note after parking in a space reserved for veterans at her local grocery store.

“This parking [spot] is for veterans, lady,” the note said. “Learn to read [and] have some respect.”

So Hayes took to Facebook to respond.

“I know I parked in one of the Veteran Parking spaces today, it was hot,” Hayes began. “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.”

Her "apology" continued:

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 told WBTV-TV that her husband, who is a veteran of the U.S. Army, has parked in the same spot before and passersby have thanked him for his service.

"Veterans come in all shapes, sizes, genders and colors," Hayes said. "More veterans don't fit that stereotype than do."

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