Watching the Ground Truth got me very fired up last night. One Vietnam Vet said to me afterwards that what upsets him the most is that we are doing to another generation what was done to his generation.
To hear these kids, and yes, so many of them are kids, talk about trying to find some kind of redemption for what they have done, the death and destruction they have caused, will break your heart. They are haunted by the civilians they have killed, the men, women and children caught in the middle of a military action that has been missionless, and the loss of their belief in their own decency. This is what this war has wrought. Sadly, the ones who should be seeking redemption are living and working at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue and not thinking about the hollowed out men and women that are coming home.
According to recent statistics:
1 in 3 homeless Americans are veterans
1 in 4 veterans suffer from post traumatic stress disorder with waiting periods of 2-3 months for treatment
There is one VA doctor to every 500 patients
20- 24 year old veterans have twice the unemployment rate of the general population
95% of the National Guard have difficulty receiving pay
Over 200 Iraq war vets have committed suicide
Returning vets have a 70% divorce rate
The current administration has planned for a $65 billion decrease in veterans benefits over the next 5 years
Support our troops, de-fund the war!
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