You’re a better man than I am, Gunga Din Ernest Walker:
The manager of a Chili's restaurant in Texas who was seen on video taking away a veteran's free Veterans Day meal has been "removed" from the job and placed on administrative leave, the president of the food chain said.
Chili’s President Kelli Valade said in a statement she personally apologized to Ernest Walker for the manager’s actions and thanked him for his service.
“We took swift action and immediately removed our manager from the restaurant. We are now in the process of working with Mr. Walker on a resolution that promotes trust and healing.”
This is a follow-up to a couple of diaries yesterday about an African-American veteran, Ernest Walker, who received a free meal at Chili’s as part of a Veteran’s Day promotion, was questioned by a man wearing a Trump T-shirt, and then later had his leftovers taken away by the manager who questioned his veteran’s status even after being shown ID.
For his part, Walker doesn’t want the young man fired:
Lee Merritt, Walker's lawyer, said he met with executives from Chili's and they are working on the legal aspects of the incident. However, Merritt said Walker does not want the manager permanently fired.
“[He’s] not interested in seeing the young man fired; he didn't want to see anyone lose their job," Walker said during a press conference on Monday.
Maybe a month or so of “sensitivity training” along with busboy and dishwasher duties will teach the young man a lesson — when someone shows you their ID, believe them.