DOESN'T MAKE SENSE, DOES IT: The homeless go without eating. Elderly go without needed medicines. The mentally ill go without treatment. Troops go without proper equipment. Veterans go without benefits that we promised. Yet we donate billions to other countries, and excessive immigration before helping our own first?????
This question was posted as a "share" on my Facebook page this morning, and it really hit home, since Thanksgiving was a few days ago.... Isn't there an old saying that states, "Charity begins at home"? Or have I aged so much that at 50 I have lost some of my memory...I know, I know age is just a number, it is how one feels about said number that makes all the difference.
Then can someone please tell me why we have veterans who are without shelter (yes, I do understand that for some it is their choice because of PTSD and other problems that they returned from the war with) while we have illegal immigrants living in government housing? Does it make sense to you that a man or woman whom wore a uniform is living in a box, abandoned building, or homeless shelter while there are government housing projects in every city being built for illegal immigrants? I think we need to house our veterans in these abodes while the immigrants live on the streets.
While many senior citizens go without medicine or food month after month, I worked as a grocery store cashier for a few years and watched many senior citizens, go through my checkout with barely enough to keep a person alive for a week, let alone a month. Our seniors deserve our respect, and do NOT deserve to hear a politician say, "We need to cut out social programs like Social Security and Medicare..." they have enough on their plates without politicians threatening them at every turn.
Many of the "homeless" which are on our streets suffer from mental illness. Paranoia, Schizophrenia, Bi-Polar, Depression and PTSD are real illnesses. The men and women who suffer from these illnesses whom live on the streets have fallen through the system, mainly because of something called "red tape" and the fact that most insurance policies including medicaid and medicare cover only the basic eight to ten weeks of treatment. Without follow up and continuing care, many fall through the cracks. Also they way many of us feel about Mental Health has made it a taboo subject, but yet we advertise for bladder control, erectile dysfunction, migraines, periods, with a few tasteful advertisements regarding depression, and bi-polar disease. By the way, I talk to myself sometimes, especially when I am trying to remember something, I also sing along to the music in the grocery store...I am NOT crazy!!!
Cut a soldiers pay??? Cut a soldiers retirement benefits??? NEVER!!! When you hear the words "Defense Budget" they are NOT talking guns, tanks, ships, or jets; they are talking about the pay rate of the soldier who defends our flag, our rights, and our FREEDOM. Did you know that many of the families of the men and women who defend us live under the poverty level, that many receive WIC and food stamps? Did you know that many of the base hospitals no longer treat the families of our soldiers, but ship them to clinics in town such as "NavCare" because the powers that be have cut the "Defense Budget" so much it can barely serve our soldiers. Many of our veterans have to beg for benefits through the VA, and even then they have to pay out of pocket. NO man or woman who has worn the uniform of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine or Coats Guard should ever have to pay for anything once they no longer wear that uniform.
This country sure has got its priorities messed up. If you agree with anything I have said in this blog, pass it along.
p.s.: To those of you who REFUSE to get a job because flipping burgers at McD's, White Castle, BK, or working as a "dishwasher", "car prep", "grocery store clerk/cashier", is beneath you, it isn't If you can afford to drive Mercedes, Cadillac, Audi, Volvo and dress in all the "newest" fashions, while adorning your hands, necks, and ears with enough gold & diamonds you DO NOT need public assistance. You need a kick in the butt and to find a job, any job.
