Foreign Shores For Unjust Wars
God Bless America. Yeah, I don’t fucking think so. Why should God bless the United States? What have we done that deserves a blessing? And we celebrate Memorial Day, as if we really care about our veterans. Just another feel good story that is a complete lie. We send our young men and women to foreign shores for unjust wars. I am sure there are veterans who may disagree with me. But from where I stand, not one combat {notice I said combat} veteran that I have ever served, felt supported by this country. And I have served a lot. From my early HIV and addiction days, to now working with the homeless, I still hear their disdain.
On any given year, the United States has close to 50 thousand homeless veterans. On any given day 22 service men and women commit suicide. That’s nothing to feel good. But sure, enjoy your 3 day weekend. Let’s pretend that we give a shit about our veterans. You may care, but do you commit? Have you helped a struggling veteran? Have you listened to their story on their worst day? Have you cut a check for veteran services? Have you volunteered a few hours for the cause? Yes? Thank you. No? Why not……..
Years ago a combat veteran that I was working with, was in need of help. He served in counter intelligence {basically picking through the dead body’s looking for Intel.} Long story short, it took me 6 hours to get him committed to a psych ward…..an over night process, because he was going to kill himself. No help from the VA. Just an off duty HIV counselor trying to save this man. And this story is not uncommon. The amount of veterans that I work with that are homeless continues to grow. Yes, things have gotten better for veterans, but not nearly enough services are available for them.
A few months ago I was sitting in a church talking to a veteran, who had been given weeks to live. He was homeless. It was not the VA that stepped up to take care of one of its kind. It was my pushing and the help of a few other non profit organizations, that we were able to secure a bed in hospice for him. Where is the honor in that? There is none. Just another homeless person that we see, but we turn our backs on. Something this country is great at doing.
We want to celebrate this great nation, but this nation is far from being great. It is rare that I run into a combat veteran that has pride in this country. For when we talk about those terrible times of war, they rarely say they fight for country. They fight for the men and women at their side. And if they do fight for this country, they have my deepest respect. If in fact they do. They do the impossible.
So if you have a voice, a spare dollar or a few hours, we can turn this around for those who served. Because until we do, I don’t see this country as being great, or deserving of a blessing. Quoted from the men and women who served and feel abandoned. Honor that. With 22 veterans dying by sucide a day, how can we celebrate a lie?
