by Happygun » Wed Mar 12, 2014 7:13 pm
Thought I'd post an interesting story from EQ relating to brony bashing:
"I'm currently enlisted in the Army, and have a semi-similar story.
While preparing my deployment packet, I needed a way to organize all of my various forms and paperwork. Being the brony I am, I naturally chose a My Little Pony folder - one with Rainbow Dash sitting like a cat on a cloud. Needless to say, it was quite unique. I used that folder for all of my forms and paperwork while deployed, and continued to do so once I returned (prematurely) to my home station. Of course, I received comments from various individuals, most of them simply noting how unique the folder was. The area I deployed to was very top heavy - LTC's, Majors, SFC's, and Master Sergeants were a common sight, and far outnumbered the amount of junior enlisted such as myself.
Anyways, once I returned to my home station and began improcessing again, I used that same folder. Our NCOIC (person in charge of our section) is an incredibly hardcore ex-special forces, ex-ranger, kind of soldier. He didn't tell me himself, but instead directed two others to notify me that the folder was "inappropriate" for the workplace, deeming it "unprofessional". We have plenty of workers in our AO that have various pictures lining their cubicles - Information Technology related humor, memes, various pictures of silly but good-hearted stuff. I respectfully told the two messengers that "unless some Army regulation dictated that I could not have a My Little Pony or similarly themed folder to organize documents and thus increase efficiency" I would continue to use it. And so, I did.
Finally, he told me to come to his office a few days later, telling me how disgraceful and pathetic I was for carrying around something for "little girls or child molesters".
A bit of backstory (sorry for the novel) first; I had been suffering a multitude of mental stressors and self-injurious behavior prior to my deployment, and suffered even worse when I was deployed, until I overdosed and was deemed unfit for duty and spent four months undergoing mental counselling in another unit stateside. When I got back, I was told to remove my combat/deployment patch by this same NCOIC because he felt "I didn't finish the deployment, and didn't earn it" despite Army regulation saying that only 30 days in theaters entitles a soldier to wear that combat patch. This should give an indication of how little this NCOIC took to me.
Back to where I was, he continued to berate My Little Pony while I stood in silence at parade rest. Finally, he concluded with the ultimatum that if he saw the folder again, he would recommend me for UCMJ action (Being court martialled, as Rainbow Dash is wont to say). As I left the office, I asked him. "Master Sergeant, each of the characters on the show represents a specific element or trait. Do you know what hers is?" showing the folder to him. He didn't answer, just staring bemusedly. I told him, "Loyalty."
Do you know what the very first of the seven Army values is? Loyalty.
I still use the folder, and he's since left me alone about the issue."