This disturbs me from today's NY TIMES.
Steve Mackey, the president of the California state council of Vietnam Veterans of America, said the lawsuits were “a last resort.”
“We have spent years working to persuade the federal government, and the V.A. in particular, to provide the services and accommodations,” he said.
The lawsuit is the first to try to apply a 1973 law prohibiting discrimination by federal agencies on the basis of disability to the question of whether the government must provide housing to homeless veterans.
With all the flag waving and sending young men and women to war, how is it even possible that we are still having debate about whether we have as a society the obligation to serve and protect those who serve us and then come back wounded from their journey?
It is shameful that it has taken a group of dedicated activists in Los Angeles seven plus years of efforts plus having to actually filing a lawsuit to force the VA to take VA property and use it for the benefit for homeless veterans.
The full story is here in the NY TIMES.
When we look at the country and all our problems, they certainly become overwhelming but what is tragic here is you would think this one issue is something a politician of any party would immediately support, jump on and get done.
But sadly it has not been the case. Bobby Shriver and the other groups mentioned in this article have literally had to fight to get the VA to do the right thing here. I have been told that over 50,000 homeless veterans live in Los Angeles County alone - a shocking statistic.
Shame on any elected official who waves the flag on the 4th of July, who sends men and women to war who also in any way opposes this effort. And hats off to everyone who has worked so hard to keep fighting on behalf of those who have fought for us.