GORDON DUFF: ACLU RESCUES VETS FROM VA ABUSE, LEGION AND VFW “DROP THE BALL”
March 17, 2010 posted by Gordon Duff · 10 Comments
BIGGEST WAR OF VETS AGAINST “VET HATING” SPECIAL INTEREST AND VA CORRUPTION IN THE COUNTRY
WHERE ARE THE SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS?
By Gordon Duff STAFF WRITER/Senior Editor
Robert Rosebrock and a group of aging WW2, Korea and Vietnam vets have spent two years protesting the misuse of billions of dollars of veteran land. Eventually, when they received no support from the major service organizations, AMVETS, the American Legion and the VFW, they began displaying the American flag in the “distress mode,” meaning upside down as indicate in our flag code. This is the way a military unit would communicate that they were surrounded and about to be overrun. Rosebrock and his group had no idea how accurate their appraisal was.
Soon afterward, the VA security police got huge budget increases, a new building and new Hemi powered cruisers. They began, illegally, cruising the Los Angeles streets, following protesting vets, issuing threats, harassing homeless vets and, as a last straw, ticketing Robert Rosebrock illegally for what the called an “unlawful protest.”
The officers themselves tell us they feel sick about it. They work for Donna Beiter and Ralph Tillman who have been giving veteran land away for “dog parks” or to wealthy prep schools or for gay theatre groups or Jewish homeowners associations, everyone gets a piece but the thousands, estimated to be as many as 20,000 in the area, of homeless veterans. Vets sleep outside the million dollar fence our Beiter/Tillman gang had built with VA funds, a fence meant to beautify the Brentwood neighborhood made famous by OJ Simpson.
With billions allocated by the Department of Veterans Affairs to serve homeless vets, one of America’s biggest scandals, it isn’t just Beiter and Tillman who have another agenda. It’s the service organizations, the ones whose members, when asked time and time again by Rosebrock, a former Legion member himself, to help, were “too busy” or had other priorities. One of the biggest priorities the American Legion has had in years is the Mojave Cross. This is two pieces of pipe held together by a coat hanger, way out in the desert, on federal land. The government wants it taken down and the Legion wants it up. Nobody sees it, nobody cares or should care except, well, the Legion, a Legion too busy to get involved in helping Rosebrock find a solution to the problem of thousands of homeless veterans.
This is wartime. Soldiers are dying but more vets are dying, ten to one, a thousand to one over the rate troops are dying in combat. We kill more at home than any enemy could, kill them through neglect, abuse and bureaucracy. We also do it through massive and endemic corruption, a disease that has been at the heart, not only of the DVA but the service organizations as well.
I can’t call all VFW, Legion and AMVET posts bad. Some are highly supportive of many progressive and pro-veteran causes and, from time to time, their massive political power is used to help vets. Often, however, it is not. In reality, they are extremely ineffective and highly political organizations that pander to the basest instincts, hatred, fear and greed. I can’t call them “neo-con” because they lack the political savvy and sophistication of this pack of con men. The shame is not that men have organized into groups proven outdated and useless, its that they have so much power and influence, all tragically misused.
Los Angeles is where their faults are laid bare most of all. The VFW and Legion members, almost universally, are abusive and derisive of the American Civil Liberties Union. The ACLU supports free speech, gay rights and minorities, especially when groups seem to be singled out as part of an attack on the Constitution. We lose our rights when “the least of us,” the most vulnerable are attacked. Once one group loses their rights, everyone is at risk. This is why the ACLU exists. It is, perhaps, the most genuinely patriotic group in America. It does what is right, what is American at the cost of what is popular. They have even defended the tub of lard “blowhard” Rush Limbaugh, someone who had bashed them for years on the radio, until he needed legal help.
Then he “ran home to mama.”
Service groups, who spend much of their time fighting anti-smoking laws, love “flag” issues. When it comes to veterans issues and standing up to corruption, and this is about corruption, not rules, not money, it is simple fraud, malfeasance and abuse of authority. Political power, the massive Waxman/Zionist Democratic political machine of West Los Angeles with its big money supporters, the insurance industry execs, crooked bankers and the liberal Hollywood crowd, don’t want a facility for homeless veterans in their neighborhood. They seem to have found allies in the regional DVA leadership, Donna Beiter and Ralph Tillman, found them “somehow.”
Found.
An army of Legion, AMVET and VFW members should be demanding that these bureaucrats be trashed, that Waxman’s group be crushed at the polls and that the heroes that are defending America get what America has promised. Instead, Robert Rosebrock and a dozen or so of his associates are all that we see. The sign outside the stolen veteran land says, Beauty, Honor, Country. What could be more beautiful than an American hero sleeping on concrete?
Gordon, et al,
Veterans have faced decades of abuse and neglect, mostly at the hands of their own veteran service organizations! Then all 535 members of Congress!
Most don’t even know that their national headquarters are paid for with TAXPAYER DOLLARS, that their Salaries, Benefits and Perks are paid for with TAXPAYER DOLLARS, their office furniture, equipment, telephone and utilities are all paid for with TAXPAYER DOLLARS.
So no they’re not about to rock the boat that provides them such a sweet deal!
And when these high ranking officers of the various service organizations retire, they get to “double dip” and are provided sweet retirement plans on top of the already provided VA benefits they reap!
The local chapters of the various service organizations do for the most part carry a large burden and do try to provide services and assistance where they can, but still need to be far more vocal and far more demanding of their national leaders to perform.
Veteran’s stand a strong chance at sending Congress a very strong message this November! We have 30 Senators and all 435 Congressmen up for re-election, it’s time we tell them WE ARE IN CONTROL and vote them out of office, and continue to vote them out each time they come up for re-election and show them no more career politicians, and especially none who cannot keep their word and support veterans and their families!
I urge everyone to call their Senators and Congressmen and demand they take action to protect all veterans land!
Thank YOU, Mr. Gordon Duff, for taking up the Flag and showing your colors. Your support is greatly appreciated. Robert, along with a small handfull of other Veterans, have faught the battle totally unaided until the ACLU and you have come to their aid. My hat is off to You. Richard Herkert, Lcdr. USN Ret.
Let me tell without being, “political correct” what “Service Organization” leaders
are doing; Let’s take an unmarried women in her 40′s with 3 kids. She meets a wealthy Guy who wants to marry her. He buys a big house in the “burbs” and they all move in. He starts sexually molesting the middle teen age girl. ALL the signs are there, but the Mother just doesn’t see it. If she did, all the newly acquired “things” she now has would go up in smoke and she’d have to move back, “across the tracks”. But the emotional and psychological wounds of her daughter could begin to heal. But this Bitch, “just doesn’t see it”!
This my friends, are the leaders of our service organizations!
Rape my daughter or Vets, but just don’t take away my “things”!
Dave,
I couldn’t have said it better…
But the majority of vets either don’t care or don’t realize just why and how they are being screwed over by their wonderful Veteran Service Organizaitons:
not many even know:
1) The Gov (We the Taxpayer) pays for their headquarters facilities
2) The Gov (We the Taxpayer) pays for their salaries
3) The Gov (We the Taxpayer) pays for their benefits
4) The Gov (We the Taxpayer) pays for their medical care
5) The Gov (We the Taxpayer) pays for their office furniture & equipment
6) The Gov (We the Taxpayer) pays for their pays for their phone lines
This is all ON TOP OF all their military benefits and current VA benefits….
So hell no their not going to rock the boat and lose gov funding!
There was nothing politically incorrect about your statement… I found it to be an interesting and unfortunately… a fitting analogy for this sad situation.
American Citizens, US Military Veterans and Our Troops,
After, 100 consecutive Sunday afternoon stands against the great oppression of our US Military Veterans, the attempted theft of their 1988 Congressionally deeded land and the blatant violations of the Constitution by anti-American consortium consisting of the Brentwood Conservancy, Congressman Henry Waxman along with other elected officials who habitually violate their sacred Oaths of Office, and certain self-serving individuals lodged within the US Veterans Administration of Los Angeles, et al, let it be known that PERSISTENCE IN A JUST CAUSE PAYS OFF.
Due to such persistence, the American Civil Liberties Union like a US Cavalry to the rescue arrived on time to bolster the efforts of US Veteran Robert Rosebrock and his band of “Commandos-Rangers-Special Force” brothers – The Old Guard at the now historic Battle at Brentwood.
As a US Army soldier, for my sake and all American citizens then, now, tomorrow and for however long this nation exists in Liberty, my father took the blood of German fathers, sons, brothers, uncles, nephews et al during WWII and that of Koreans in the Korean War, even as they in turn took some of his (he was wounded in both conflicts).
Also, three of my brothers served the civilian populations of our beloved nation during the 1960’s and early 70’s.
However, when it came my time to put my life’s blood and sanity on the line for the freedoms that I enjoyed, even protesting the US military and the Vietnam War in the 1960′s because it was “cool” to do so, I ran like the ignorant coward that I was.
Gratefully, since maturing out of those certain days of my youth I have learned to love the only country that we Blacks – Emancipated Slave citizens enjoy, and to demonstratively support Our Troops and US Military Veterans.
Once again, I acknowledge and apologize for my dereliction to DUTY HONOR COUNTRY to all US Military Veterans who have served me throughout our nation’s history, especially those of the Vietnam Era even during my rebellious ignorance.
Therefore, I salute with deep awe, respect and appreciation to Robert Rosebrock and his band of “Commando-Ranger-Special Forces” – The Old Guard and their supporters who have unwaveringly held an outpost of freedom in Brentwood, California on behalf of Our Troops, Veterans and all that we US citizens are American for.
Duty, Honor, Country – While there have been many individuals, organizations and groups who have been to the front lines at the battle of Brentwood on Sundays afternoons, it is primarily the following honorable folks who as American Centurions have waged a lonely fight for our nation’s ideals of Freedom, and they are with great respect the following individuals:
Steve Palmer, WW II, 87
Hank Papeika, WW II, Korean War, 84
Newt Young, Korean War, 81
Dick Breithaupt, Korean War, 81
Larry Cardenas, Korean War, 80
Bettina Michaels, Veteran Widow, 82
Sam Cardova, Korean War, 80
Ernie Hilger, Vietnam-era, 68
Bob Handy, Korean and Vietnam War, 78
John Stamatiades, Korean and Vietnam War, 75
Gloria Manciocchi – Civilian Supporter of Veterans
Over the last two years, I have periodically stood with and witnessed with my own eyes Mr. Rosebrock and his “band of elderly brothers” – The Old Guard and will by the LORD Grace continue to do so, primarily because my service is owed to these and all US Military Veterans as well as Our Troops, past and future.
Finally, with much gratitude to the leaders of Los Angeles County branch of the
American Civil Liberties Union for only obeying the Law of our US Constitution, and following the humane dictates of their hearts to come to the rescue of those very special men and women standing courageously every Sunday afternoon at their post against the overwhelming forces of the “Brentwood gang of Rebels”. Big Time Thank You, ACLU!
Big Big TIME THANK You Rosebrock for your leadership, tenacity and courage. On behalf of all Patriotic American citizens, especially homeless US Military Veterans, we are all most grateful to GOD for each and every one of you for your commitment to DUTY HONOR COUNTRY.
Calling on all civilian citizens to please come to Brentwood on Sunday afternoons, between 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM and re-enforce our Veteran Troops of The Old Guard.
All the Best of GOD to you and yours as you support our United States Military Veterans.
Ted Hayes,
Homeless American Activist
1st Vice Chair – Republican Party Los Angeles County
Shalom in Jerusalem – Blessed Bethlehem
I too need to be rescued from VA abuse. My Dad was a WW2 vet and the VA send him to a conract Rest Home at Aouth Oaks in Amityville,New York where veterans were abused with electric shock torture experiments as printed in Long Island Newsday. Then my Dad had stomack cancer and he wabnted to be in the VA “with his comrades.” Well physicians at Brooklyn VAMC told me they got the cancer but left a tube and sponges in my Dad and he would soon die as they could operate again. My beloved Dad passed.
Then I worked as an Assistant Chief of Police at the Manhattan CAMC and investigated a VA Regional Office Security Guard who assaulted a veteran.The Guard was hired as Chief of Police at Manhattan VA and he hired a family member who molested our female supervisor. The molester was transferred to Lyons,NJ VAMC and promoted. Our new Chief bought a firearm for the Head Physician, Veterans Compensation at the NY VAMC and the doctor awarded hin a 50% in exchange for a pistol. Business as usual as a Detective beat up a veteran and our union won him his job back after he was fired and a VA Inspector from Central Office recommended that I arrest him but my Chief told me to get the hell out of his office when I advised him of what the Inspector said. The Detective tried to bribe and threatened to kill witnesses. I quit after 24 years and I want justice and a pension. I know the VA will fight me every inch of the way.
Greg Bennett
USAF K9 ’74-78
NYG 2001-06