American is currently welcoming Afghan refugees – which we should – and allow literally millions to flow into America illegally across the southern border – which we should not. With those realities as a subtext, there is a situation in Los Angeles that is impossible to believe and disgusting to contemplate.
We have seen the iconic homeless problem in Los Angeles on occasional news reports – but no. This is a report on one such group of 50 people living in makeshift shelters on the street. While a relatively small number compared to the overall homeless population in the City of Angels, they are significant because of who they and where they are.
They are all veterans of foreign wars – many with physical or emotional disabilities. Something not seen in other homeless communities are the number of large flags adorning the tents. And they are camping outside the Veteran Administration facility on San Vincente Boulevard. Some of them have died waiting to get inside the gates of a facility established to provide both medical support AND HOUSING for those who served America.
The campus of the Veterans’ facility beyond the fence is four times the size of Disneyland, with acres of open space. The national conservative group, Judicial Watch, sued the VA and won. There were to be buildings erected to house hundreds if not thousands of veterans. To date, there is construction going on for a facility that would barely accommodate those lining the fence.
What is so offensive and infuriating about this situation is that it seems so simple to take care of some 50 people. If America can find thousands of hotel rooms for Afghan refugees – and God knows how many housing accommodations for the millions of illegal immigrants – it should not be complicated to find housing and support for a group of GIs that would barely make up one platoon.
Politicians in Washington – and the bureaucrats they serve (and yes, that is how I meant it) –constantly talk about our duty to our veterans – especially those who are living with the physical and emotional scars of war. Those men camping out in front of the VA facility in Los Angeles put the lie to all the rhetorical b.s.
The treatment of this small group of veterans in Los Angeles is beyond contempt. If outrage and compassion were motivating forces, these men would be off the streets in 24 hours. Unfortunately, there never seems to be sufficient outrage and compassion when it comes to our veterans.
So, there ‘tis.