Nov 09 2008
Port Royal Barber Shop Discriminates Against Marines
What on Earth?
A “military barber shop” in Port Royal is the only Beaufort-area business off-limits to area military.
Sailors and Marines have been told not to do business at Al’s Military Barbershop on Parris Island Gateway in Port Royal after the business was found to have “discriminatory business practices against Marines,” said Master Sgt. Mark Oliva, spokesman for Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island.
Oliva wouldn’t elaborate on the specifics of the complaint that led the Armed Forces Disciplinary Control Board –which includes representatives from Parris Island, Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort and Naval Hospital Beaufort –to place the barber shop onits list of restricted businesses.
Oliva said the decision was based upon more than economics.
“The place posed, no kidding, a physical threat to Marines,” Oliva said.
This reminds me of the story earlier this year about many of the bars and nightclubs in Wilmington not allowing Marines from Camp Lejeune through the door, but the owners of those places at least gave some kind of semi-reasonable excuse. They said that the bulk of fights and confrontations started at their establishment were caused by Marines. Okay, fine. But a barber shop?? What could possibly be this guy’s reason? I never realized this kind of discrimination was so rampant, especially in the south. You’d think you’d hear stories like this in places like California or Vermont, not the Carolinas.
