The newest White House rule: No long shirt, no pants, no dice!
A 10-year-old boy who had just attended the burial of his grandfather -- a historic Medal of Honor recipient -- at Arlington National Cemetery was refused a West Wing tour because he was wearing a T-shirt and shorts.
Vernon Pawlik's grandfather, Vernon Baker, had been the last surviving black Medal of Honor recipient from World War II and was buried Friday after dying in July of brain cancer at age 90.
On Saturday, his family, who live in Idaho, tried to take a VIP tour of the West Wing, which includes the Oval Office. But Vernon Pawlik was turned away for his supposedly inappropriate attire -- shorts and a T-shirt bearing his grandfather's picture. The staffer who was to lead the family wasn't sure whether Vernon Pawlik's attire was considered appropriate, officials said.
| Then you ask before turning someone away. That's standard underling behaviour. Showing initiative is unwise in such circumstances. |
Another Medal of Honor recipient, Thomas Norris, also of Idaho, was refused because he hadn't been cleared for the tour.
| Somebody dropped the ball. |
John Dunlap, who had helped organize the family's tour from his American Legion Post 25 in Idaho, was outraged. "Here's a young man, 10 years old, and our government is like a complete fool turning him away," he said. "No one told us about a dress code."
Dunlap said he doesn't think the family has the resources to come back to DC.
The American Legion and the National Guard had raised $22,000 to help the family attend the funeral at Arlington and is helping fix the roof of the family house and do other repairs.
"We were appalled by the way they were treated," said Susan Wheeler, a spokeswoman for Sen. Michael Crapo (R-Idaho).
The snub left the White House embarrassed and apologetic.
| Rightfully so. There are a number of idioms that describe what a cock-up they created. |
"This is an unfortunate misunderstanding," said White House spokesman Adam Abrams.
| No. Y'all confirmed to those who were suspicious exactly how out of touch you are with the common folk of the country you're supposed to be running. The ripples from this will spread wide and far. |
"We would have loved to have hosted 10-year-old Vernon and his family at the White House, and we have reached out to the Baker family and Lieutenant Norris to communicate our deep regret and invite them back to the White House."
| Remember that bit above about not having the resources to return? Unless you offer to pay their fares, your invitation is yet another slap in the face. Perhaps a useful exercise would be to start listing the idioms for the kind of cock-up this is. "Stepped on your dick," should be in there somewhere. |
Vernon Baker's widow, Heidy, wasn't available for comment.
She is Baker's third wife. A daughter she had before marrying Baker gave birth to Vernon Pawlik and named him after Vernon Baker.
Baker received the medal in 1997 from President Bill Clinton after an Army review determined that, because of racism, no black soldier from that era had received a Medal of Honor.
| What? The White House ejected people of colour who had recently received one of the nation's highest honours, an honour vastly overdue because of previous discrimination?? Black support for President Obama has already dropped to something like 75%; perhaps you ought to change that idiom to, "danced the Tarantella on your dick," and tap the petty cash fund to pay for the family's airplane tickets and hotel. A per diem would be wise, as well, or we'll hear about them eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches in the hotel room they can't afford to leave. |
Serving in a segregated unit in Italy, Baker charged a mountain fortress after his white commander deserted. He took out an enemy observation post and machine-gun nest, raided a bunker and helped his men retreat after getting shot in the hand.
He was also awarded a Bronze Star and a Purple Heart.
| Our thanks to Mr. Baker and all his comrades for their service. We know to whom we owe our freedom. |
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