To those that don't care about Stolen Valor, what makes you not care?

I'm becoming more and more uncomfortable with this culture of SMs or Vets walking up to people and demanding proof of service. Lately there were two threads about 75 year old vets getting publicly humiliated by other vets. In one case the vet ( or maybe it was a soldier) wouldn't even believe the vets VA card, claiming anyone could print one out.

So that got me thinking how I would respond if someone saw me wearing either military related awards or badges on Veterans Day or say military badge related hats or Tshirts, and came up and started asking me questions. The truth is, in this day of identity theft and scams, I would probably politely tell that guy to f--k off. I sure as hell would never feel like I owe it to any stranger that walks up to me to produce my military ID card and DD214. Really, who the f--k do these people think they are?

This is the United States. I don't have to respond to "your papers please" from anybody, much less some soldier with a hair up his ass.

And as pissed as that would make me, I can't imagine how my dad would have responded when he was 75 if some twenty something "kid" walked up to him and basically demanded that he, a WWII and Korean War vet, prove to this stranger he is authorized to wear his CIB with star. Even at age 75, he would probably try and fight the guy.

So this whole blood sport of confronting and videoing and humiliating people just because they may be wearing a badge wrong has got to stop. It's unprofessional and unAmerican. As I said, I don't have to tell you where I went to basic, what Ranger School Class I was in, or anything else. It's none of your f--king business. You're a damn total stranger to me. Hell, I have no way of knowing if you are even a soldier yourself. So get out of my face and keep your vigilante bullshit away from me or my dad, or others like us. I'd rather a thousand clowns walk down the street in costume than one vet be humiliated by someone who probably hasn't served a fraction of the time the vet did.

There are laws about actually stealing goods or services by impersonating vets. Leave that to the stores. If they give military discounts to people without requiring appropriate ID cards or documentation, that's their mistake. IMO vets should stay in their lane and stop confronting people.

I care, but I care more about the Constitution than my own feelings. We can't say "we're a free country, but you can't say or wear those things because it offends me." I'm just not a fan making laws that ban citizens from wearing certain symbols when there are groups of people offended by those symbols. It sounds contrary to everything we serve for.

Now if people want to expose phonies, I'm all for it. Let them be judged by the public.

When it comes to fraud, there are plenty of existing fraud laws to cover those cases. Those who commit fraud should be prosecuted under fraud laws.

I was going to pass this up and not respond...but I changed my mind.. What other people wear either earned or not takes nothing from what I did and earned. I don't need nor seek approval or recognition from others in regards to my service. I don't need to justify or explain what I have or have not done. I only have an issue with someone getting a concrete benefit from their fraud, i.e... Va medical, va loan ect