“Secondly, if you are telling your daughter to stay in school because I have tattoos up and down my arms that will actually suppress her creativity and potentially hinder her imagination as she develops,” he informed the woman again. “Contradictory to your point, ma’am, I am proud of my tattoos and artwork that Forest Bateman put on my body. It’s a representation of my pride in my country and my service over multiple combat tours as a special operations medic.”
Andy wasn’t done there either. “Third, if you’re referring that statement to the hat I’m wearing because it features an elk, you might not understand it. I happen to co-own Evergreen State Outdoors and I’m proud to own an outdoors company and support my rights to hunt and responsibly be a gun owner,” he continued.
“Finally, I chose to work in the construction industry. I’m proud to say that I’m a part of building America and I enjoy my job every day. I tried working a desk job when I got out of the service and it wasn’t for me. I enjoy working with my hands and being outdoors. Subsequently, it comes with being dirty. Some days I make good money, have benefits, and I’m able to provide for my family without issue,” he declared.
“So, my appearance reflects nothing to do with my level of intelligence or pursuit of a higher level of education,” he concluded.
And it seems that the woman had nothing else to say. She had said plenty when she criticized a hardworking American for having some remnants of a day’s honest work on his clothes. Mind you, this was a grocery store, not a five-star restaurant, so a little soil on the shopper should have been none of this woman’s concern.
Andy’s post is a reminder of something we’ve all heard before but too often fail to remember: never judge a book by its cover. Yes, first impressions are important and this is not an excuse to not try to put your best foot forward; however, we all have our story to tell and you never know why that disheveled person might look the way they do. Quite simply, don’t make assumptions and don’t be rude. Maybe if more people read this important lesson, the world would be a kinder place.