First in a series.
Some protests gain instant attraction because they appeal to the sympathies of the liberal media.
Most other protests fail because they do not appeal to the one-dimension senses of the liberal media.
Every Sunday afternoon at 1 o’clock, a knot of now elderly military veterans renews a three-hour protest of the refusal of the National Home of the VA – at the sexy intersection of Wilshire Boulevard and the 405 Freeway – to accommodate and treat ailing and homeless fellow veterans.
The gentlemen contend that the VA cannot fulfill its mission to care for sick-injured-elderly-homeless veterans because they have been too busy playing profit-seeking entrepreneur.
The VA has parceled out its 383 acres to nine different commercial enterprises that eat up the space historically designated for veteran care.
The protesters contend that 20,000 vets go homeless every night in Los Angeles – the largest cast of roamers in America.
They blame what they call the “greedy, unresponsive” VA for refusing to take them in, no doubt shortening the lives of the ignored wretches.
The hardy Every Sunday graybeards were not so elderly when they introduced their weekly protests/vigils eight years ago.
At 74 years old, Bob Rosebrock, their leader, is the baby of the dwindling group – some baby at 6-foot-2, 230 pounds.
His relentless reporting on their marches has kept the flame of hope alive for despairing veterans.
In the last year and a half, though, the VA “police” have been cracking down on the Rosebrock crowd.
Recently, a whopping 18 charges, mostly surrounding the American flag, were brought against Mr. Rosebrock.
As of this morning, he still faces a potential 18 months in jail.
No doubt the protests are – or would be – an embarrassment to the VA if they were reported by the daily newspapers who practice blissful unawareness. That is the triggering device for the present series.
(To be continued)
2 Comments on “Shh, Don’t Talk Aloud About This Protest”
Finally!The truth has been spoken -naturally not by the mainstream media stenographers a.k.a “compliance experts”.
VA is the Goliath and Robert slings stones every Sunday, keeping the fire of honorable protest alive. While the judicial and political manure appear to have all but crushed Robert, Veteran advocates and the truth, that special interest in the VA is so deep rooted in DC that the choice for Secretary is dead last, this man’s grit continues to attract followers. Blissfully, you can allow yourself to be believe that the government is taking care of Veterans. The unfortunate fact is that advocates who follow the Old Veteran Guard are cursed with the factual knowledge of VA corruption, misrepresentation, misinterpretation and all else that has dismantled the “Promise of Sacred Trust” to care for those who have borne the battle. Just ask your nearest Veteran who slept in the cold last night. It’s not because he or she doesn’t have a “HOME”, that was a given in 1888. It’s because of the flies, buzzards and sharks, bent on taking gift-land, by influencing long-term policy, away from a disabled Veteran who is eligible to come out of freezing temperatures,back east, and be sheltered here, but does not have a clue about this land-heist.
Viva OVG!