Veteran homelessness, VA Secretary McDonald's lies, and land dispute with Brentwood

Fellow veterans and friends of veterans, this is a wake-up call. Welcome to Veterans Revolution Radio, broadcast live from Skid Row Studios, situated right here in downtown Los Angeles. We're in the belly of the beast of veteran homelessness. We're in the midst of the most densely populated community of homelessness in the USA and Los Angeles. This is our nation's capital for homeless veterans. It shouldn't be that way, folks. We have the largest VA in the nation, and we have the largest homeless population. What we're going to be discussing this evening are many, many issues, but more than anything, this is a wake-up call. We're in a state of emergency. And that emergency has to do with, number one, is evicting nine illegal occupants on the left. Veterans land. And this includes a public dog park run by the city of L.A. UCLA has a baseball diamond. Brentwood School has an athletic field. And there are other illegal uses of this land. And the first thing we want to do is to get them evicted because we had a federal judgment issued that there are nine occupants on this land that have a sharing agreement with the... The VA. It's unauthorized by law and therefore void. And we thought we had a really great thing going until Secretary Robert A. McDonald, the Secretary of the VA, came out on January 28th. Prior to that, I guess he wheeled and dealed with his friends in high places, and they manipulated a so-called settlement behind closed doors. And that settlement included... Vacating the judgment. In other words, vacating it and the lawsuit that was set forth by the ACLU. And instead of honoring the judgment and evicting these occupants, Secretary McDonald put together a deal, manipulated the ACLU attorneys and whatnot. And what we have today is a... Is a... Is a... Is a... Is a... Is a... Is a... Is a... Is a... Tragedy that's beyond comparison because these illegal occupants are getting to stay while the homeless veterans who belong inside will continue to be on the outside. But don't worry, there's a big promise. They're going to end veteran homelessness by the end of the year. Why does it have to take the end of the year to solve this problem? That's why we're calling on for a state of emergency and a... A... A... A... A... A... humanitarian relief project right on the grounds there. Going to open the front gates, set up a tent city, just like we did down at Camp Pendleton 40 years ago after the fall of Saigon. And we brought in 50,000 Vietnamese refugees and got them assimilated into our society. So we're going to be discussing not only about this sham of a settlement, but we're going to elaborate a little bit on Mr. VA Secretary McDonald because he was down here, right down here where we are, in Skid Row. And he engaged a veteran and asked him where he was a veteran and where he served, and the veteran said he was in Special Forces. And he said, And the secretary said, really? And so was I. Well, it turned out that was a big lie. But we're going to expand on some other things that the secretary did because what happened down here at Skid Row is amplified about what's really been going on under his so-called leadership. Because the man did not follow the rules, first of all, because we were on those. And at best, at best, at best, at best, at best, at best, at best, at best, at best, at best, at best, at best, at best, at best, at best, at best, at best, at best, at best, at best, at best, at best, at best, at best, at best, at best, at best, at best, at best, at best, at best, at best, at best, at best, at best, at best, at best, at best, at best, at best, at best, at best, at best, claimed that he's guilty of stolen valor. So in a matter of a second or two, he lied, he cheated, and he stole. Yet he took an oath when he was a West Point graduate, as they all do, that I will not lie, cheat or steal or associate with those that do. So it's quite an embarrassment right now that the leader of the Department of Veterans Affairs would make such a claim about his military. But to do it as a West Point graduate, who we hold to much higher standards, I think it's time for the West Pointers themselves, if he's not going to leave on his own, to call for his resignation. Because he's going to be creating a very, very big scar on the average. And I think that's going to be a big part of the integrity of the West Point, which has a history, a legend of producing leaders. And he's already proven that he's not a leader that can be trusted. Now I'm going to be, got a guest, I'm real honored to have and to know, and that's Dave Coleman. And Dave is a Korean and Vietnam War veteran. I call him Mr. Veteran, because he's the go-to guy if you ever need help, service. He's been the American Legion service officer for years upon years. He's been the chairman of the Los Angeles Veterans Advisory Commission. He's an ongoing commissioner. And he's just an upstanding individual. And I'm going to let Dave share a little more about his own personal records here. But he came in with a statement to me that I'm going to let him share with you that just sincerely underscores of the problem with the VA and why we need new leadership right away. So Dave, take over please. Thank you, Bob. Thank you. Thank you very much. That was a very nice introduction. And as we talked before, you asked me to expound a little bit on that. And I will do that, not gladly, because I don't like people that gladly expound on themselves. But I worked for the Veterans Administration for 22 years, 10 as a Veterans Benefits Counselor, and 12 years as a counseling therapist at a Vet Center. And after that, I went on to work for several different service organizations as a service officer and ultimately the American Legion. I was with them for 13 years as the service director. And that position was terminated about a year ago for realignment, I believe that's what the paper said. But nonetheless, I'm also the chairman of the National Veterans Foundation, the chairman of the board of directors. And as you said, I have been a member of the Veterans Advisory Commission for 20 years, or give or take, and various other positions. But since my retirement, I've cut back a lot of the things that I've been doing and it's wonderful. Something that was broadcast today was the Oakland Veterans Administration Regional Office had hidden 60,000, I think, of veterans who had been retired. I think that's pretty amazing. I think that's pretty amazing. I think that's pretty amazing. I think that's pretty amazing. I think that's pretty amazing. 16,000, that's 1-6-0-0-0, veterans administration files had hidden them. They didn't fall off the back of the desk. They weren't misplaced. They weren't left on a cart. They were purposely maliciously hidden to avoid having to work the files. And you can't get any worse than that. You have, of course, the veterans who are applying for various different benefits, all types, educational benefits, compensation benefits for illness, accident, or injuries they sustained during their active duty. They're often veterans who have significant others to whom they have or have dependents who could be entitled to benefits based on the veteran's demise, if that should happen. These people are affected as well as children. And the monetary aspect of what has happened is simply, it's horrible and atrocious. There's no reason for it. There's no explanation for it. It's horrible. And I think one of the problems with the Department of Veterans Affairs, for as long as I can remember, is that in the VA system, in the governmental system, there's no penalty for failure. The VA's looming problem is the same as our government's problem, big time. It's the government, especially, there's no penalty for failure. And a few random examples are a government printing office, a person working there, an employee counterfeited $20 bills and he never left the office. Just another random example was a supervisor in Texas told the adjudicators, to change the character of the benefit veterans were applying for when it was post-traumatic stress disorder, to change it to a personality disorder, because that is not compensable by the VA. And after the smoke cleared and the dog and pony show, the supervisor who gave this order, it was said they were overzealous, but the person never left the building. Unlike Elvis, they never left the building. So when you have incidents like that throughout the country, it really sends a message that you can pretty much do anything you want to do. The only thing that precludes a lot of people from doing the wrong thing is because their integrity and their integrity is profound throughout the Veterans Administration. But with all of the people that are there, you're going to have some rotten apples. And there's nothing to do, to deter them other than the laws that are non-existent. The Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs himself, who should be a beacon to all the employees, flat lied. He flat out lied. Lawyers like to use the term disingenuous, but I like to say he just lied because he did in fact. And he, he said that there were 60 employees that were fired, released, terminated. And that is untrue. The Freedom of Information Act disclosed that there were like less than 20 people that actually were severed in their employment. But he said 60 people were fired from the deaths of the veterans in Texas because of the waiting lists that occurred while these people were waiting to be treated because of the dual waiting lists. They had a hidden waiting list and they had a waiting list that they would show Washington when they sent their report in. And many guys were on waiting lists for six, seven, eight, and nine months, in which case many of them died because of the long waiting list. This waiting list is what prompted bonuses at top officials of VA hospitals and regional offices, which is why they had the two, the hidden one and the real one. When it came down to two weeks within time of treatment, the name would come off of the hidden list and then go on the public list to make it appear as though veterans didn't wait over two weeks for treatment. But our Ronald McDonald secretary is really not, to say he's not an example, to say that he's less than, he's a little bit more than a hundred percent, he's a little bit more than a hundred percent, he's a little bit less than that, isn't really an understatement because there is no indication whatsoever that he really cares. And he ran a company for 30 or 40 years. And I think that's where he ought to be today is running a company. Bob, I don't want to take up too much time. I could listen to you forever. Cause you know, the things that you bring to the veteran's cause are immeasurable. And, and, and I think that's what I think is important. I think that's what I think is important. I think that's what I think is important. And the dedication is just unchallenged. And if we had somebody of your statue, really running this VA, cause you get it, you understand it, that's who we really need. And I agree with you about the current secretary. He's, the way he came into Los Angeles, it was a hit and run, dog and phony show. I mean, that's all it was. He had his little connection, protections. He had an old friend, Ron Olson, an attorney friend that he knew, Bobby Shriver, who's not a veteran, neither is Ron Olson. These guys sit back, cut a deal. We have to live with it. I'm not going to put up with it. I'm going to keep fighting this because it's simply wrong to have a federal judgment that there are nine illegal occupants on this land and we're the capital for homeless veterans. And this guy has the audacity to come in and cut a deal to vacate it, the judgment, and get his name, by the way, off that lawsuit and get his wealthy friends back on the property. I think we're going to be in for a big fight. And I don't think they planned on what this man did down here at Skid Row because he really showed who he is. Because, you know, he was on Meet the Press recently and they caught him in the lie there that I think he said that there were 900 people fired and it turned out there were only 60. We're catching him on the media. What's he doing behind closed doors that nobody's getting? And obviously the big one we want to know, what happened behind the closed doors here in Los Angeles where this man could come in as a defendant? How is it a defendant of a lawful, criminal offense? And then he's on the front lines of the lawsuit, takes control and decides what the terms of settlement are going to be to his benefit, gets his name off the lawsuit, holds his own press conference. And then he says, you know, we have to vacate these leases in order to end veteran homelessness, which is absolutely absurd. You don't have to do that at all. First of all, the mayor said he's going to end it. So why is the judgment have anything at all to do with any so-called settlement? The basic line is get these people out, get our veterans on. It's just, you know, you can take this to a small class of second graders and they'll tell you this is wrong. It's wrong. It's morally and legally wrong what they're doing. And veterans need to unify. We've got to watch for the VSOs. I'm going to be very blunt with it. And as you know, Dave, that we've talked about this many times, they're more of a problem than a solution. They, uh, you're absolutely correct. The veteran service officers, the commander of the American Legion, the DAV, of course, we know is the Disabled American Veterans, the MOPH, that's Military Order of the Purple Hearts, the AMVETS, that's American Veterans. All of these guys have big plush offices in Washington, D.C., number one, that they don't pay for. So if you had a house guest, I don't think the house guest would bad mouth you at the dinner table. So none of the service organizations, they change commanders once each year for their national convention and they elect the new commander. He really is not that good. He's not that good. He's not that familiar unless he's a special kind of person. He's really not familiar with the ongoing issues of the Department of Veterans Affairs, like the Los Angeles West L.A. land grab that has been going on for, let me say this, for over 25 years. I've been banging on the board of supervisors' desks, namely Xavier Oslovsky's desk, in September of 1989. And he rolled off that meeting for six months until March of 1990. And the same question then I asked him, I'm still asking, whose side are you on, the Veterans side or the Brentwood Homeowners Association side, which is what it used to be called back then? Now it's, what's the name, Bob? Veterans Park Conservancy. Conservancy. The, Sue Young is the leader of the dog pack and has been since virtually Christ was a corporal. That's how long this woman has been around doing this. And our new illustrious director, Ronald McDonald, I call him, has a great big hole in his back. And that hole in his back is there for one reason. And that's for the Brentwood Homeowners Association, Sue Young and the Brentwood pack. They pulled a hand in his back, so when he is supposed to be animated, he is animated. When he's supposed to talk, they pulled the strings and he talks. And Waxman, Yaroslavsky, Boxer, Feinstein, all of them danced to the tune of the Brentwood Homeowners Association. Debbie Reynolds, Bill Anderson, actors, they have a ground that is absolutely pristine on the VA hospital. veterans can't even utilize it they can't even get in they can't even go they use use it for a thousand dollar a plate dinners again the the Brentwood homeowners association uses it for that veterans cannot even get in or utilize it but the power that they have is is absolutely phenomenal and nobody wants to touch it and the only thing I can think is that well number one the veterans administration hospital west Los Angeles is the most valuable property in the entire United States of America and so if I lived in Brentwood I was going to say I would want to do like they're doing but I wouldn't my my my my uh I wouldn't be able to sleep at night but I can see the selfishness and the greed and the uh undercutting and the backsliding and all of the negative things that they're doing only to have the property value of their homes maintain its value and not possibly be considered to be reduced because the veteran population on the VA and the veterans administration hospital grounds they could put geodetic domes up on those grounds and they could put a lot of money in there and they could put a lot of money in there and they could try to try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try And McDonald, in his skilled way and means of dodging the bullet with his cape, said, well, we're considering all avenues, all aspects. We're considering everything. And immediately slid off into the night like a thief with his 30 pieces of silver and not mentioning anything about something that's real and practical. But this is what we have. And, Bob, I have been wanting to say this. I don't know if our listeners know who you are and what you have done for the last seven years. Bob Rosebrock, for seven years, has been demonstrating from 1 o'clock to 4 o'clock every Sunday afternoon, rain or shine, at the corner of Wilshire and San Vicente Boulevard. The old veteran's guard. If you ever turn that corner Sunday afternoon and you've seen him, this is the guy that you saw, Bob Rosebrock. This is a guy I would follow to hell and back. I admire so much that I can't really say how much I admire this guy for his tenacity, his capacity, his ability, and his knowledge. He's got a silver pen, and he will not be denied. So I really wanted to say that. I didn't want this time to pass without saying that because this guy, talk about accolades, this guy, I could go on for days about him, but that's not all that it's about. It's also about the VA and the fact that nothing is being done. When you see something wrong and you do nothing, you become a part of the problem. That's one of the problems. We need to start. Awesome. Awesome. Awesome. Awesome. Awesome. Awesome. Awesome. Awesome. Awesome. Awesome. Awesome. Awesome. Awesome. Awesome. Awesome. Awesome. Awesome. Awesome. Awesome. Awesome. Awesome. Awesome. Awesome. Awesome. Awesome. Awesome. Awesome. and that's really, really inappropriate. Well, well stated there, Dave, and thank you for the kind words. You know, I want to reflect a little bit on that Veterans Revolution. We're coming up in two weeks or a week and a half for our seventh anniversary, 364 straight Sundays. And you know that's twice as long as it took to win World War II. They did it in three and a half years. They went across the world. We're fighting our own government right in our own backyard. And as you indicated earlier about the Brentwood, I did want to clarify on it. Sue Young was a past president of the Brentwood Homeowners Association, and then she created, and she called them all different names, the Veterans Memorial Garden. The Veterans Park Preserve, and Veterans Park Conservancy, whatever. But it's more of a front than the actual association. And I do want to say, there are some very, very fine people in Brentwood, like any community, but there's this small elite group that operates enter the guise of a Veterans Organization, and Veterans Park Conservancy is in any order, or at best, is at best at best at best at best at best at best at best at best at best at best at best at best at best at best at best at best Um, there, if you look at their 501 C three, it's all about, uh, the community and, and enhancing and preserving and conserving and whatever. Um, and it has nothing to do with veterans and, um, they have some of the most wealthiest and powerful people that if they would use that energy for the greater good, it would be so incredible. I recently was talking to a friend. I grew up in central Indiana, right outside of Indianapolis on a fresh produce farm. Uh, my great grandfather, grandfather, father were commercial gardeners and greenhouses and all. It was hard work. Uh, but when you look back, it was good work, certainly, but the community was everything in the American Legion. They were pillars of the society. I mean, you looked upon them and a friend, um, he's a, went to high school with Fred Shonk is, um, uh, a veteran and, uh, he writes a weekly column for the local, uh, uh, little newspaper there. And he was reflecting on, they had a, um, they have a crosstown rivalry from our old high school, uh, Southport versus Perry. And in, um, high school basketball in Indiana is very, very competitive. And, um, uh, they had the game recently and at the halftime they did something that it's just. Reflected back what I knew and what community is supposed to be. It was a young basketball player about played for Columbus about 50 miles South of Indianapolis. And he was one of the top ballplayers in the state. It was in an automobile accident and was critically injured. Now at the halftime, the two crosstown rivalries of this community challenged each other who could put up the most money for this family in one minute. And they did it. At the halftime, they got over a thousand dollars, I think, on each side of it. And I know those people well enough back there that the checks were, wasn't just cash going in there that later they would be coming through with money and everything. But remember, this was a young man who played on a competitive team against both of these schools even. But think about today, right over here in Brentwood, where we have war injured veterans defending our country, defending their freedom. And, uh, I mean, I think that's a big thing. I think that's a big thing. I think that's a big thing. I think that's a big thing. I think that's a big thing. I think that's a big thing. I think that's a big thing. I think that's a big thing. And they don't even, I mean, they take money from the VA. They took a million dollars of the VA money to build this pretentious wrought iron fence to beautify the entryway into Brentwood. They even put on the front gate there, beauty, B-E-A-U-T-Y, honor country, when the West Point creed is duty, honor country. And we got them. They've got that taken down. They've got that taken down. But you would think somebody like McDonald, who's a West Point graduate, wouldn't have a thing to do with people like that. But they are all beholden to this group. And you're absolutely right. They, um, uh, I sent him an email and asked why he hadn't, he was boasting that he'd been to 41 different VAs across the nation. And I sent out an email to him and asked, you know, why he hadn't come out to the largest and most corrupt VA. And I answered it for him. It's going to be a big deal. It's because he doesn't run this VA. And we saw it when he came out here with this settlement. The wealth and power control the Los Angeles VA. There's no question about it. It was proven at that, uh, press conference and settlement because you had a federal judgment and against Brentwood school. That's one of the wealthiest private schools, UCLA, UCLA has 10 acres and they pay $5,000 a month. Yeah. I was just talking to a restaurant tour. He got out of the business, uh, had a place in Brentwood. He had 2,200 square feet for an Italian restaurant and he paid close to $13,000 a month for 2,200 square feet. And he said it just became prohibitive that the landlord was making all the money. But now think about this. He was paying nearly three times as much for 2,200 square feet. As UCLA pays for 10 acres, nearly a half a million square feet. Um, this is the kind of stuff that we're putting up with and we shouldn't have to, but I do again, going back to the VSO, the Vietnam veterans of America was a plaintiff. I was a member. I canceled my membership because they did not stand up against this, uh, so-called settlement. Um, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, In fact, the president of the California Vietnam Veterans of America and the spokesperson, Steve Mackey, admitted later they just called him on the phone and, you know, told him what they were going to do. And he said, sounds like a good deal to me. What kind of representation is that? He doesn't even sit down and say, well, here, let's go through this. You're talking about an exit strategy. Where is this in writing? How soon is this going to happen? They just bail out on you. And so I've pretty much given up on the VSOs. You know, you go back to the home itself when it was first built in the 1880s. And it was run by the Grand Army of the Republic. And they were the veteran soldiers of the Civil War. Now, they were their own independent organization. And they ran Congress, essentially. They were powerful. And Congress said, we're not going to allow that to happen after they died. So. So when you brought in your new VSOs, the VFW and American Legion, they are all sanctioned by Congress. They answer to Congress. And, of course, one of the things about the old Veterans Guard, we're an ad hoc team. We're not even a nonprofit. We answer only to the 20,000 disabled, homeless veterans. That's who our answering is. And it drives these people nuts. You know, they tried to have me falsely arrested six times. And we hung the flag in distress, which was the best call we ever made. And I would like to say thanks to Peter Eliasberg, who stepped up at the ACLU. Because that's how the ACLU got involved in this whole thing. Nobody wants to talk about that. But the call first went in to Dick Seeley, who's a Korean War veteran. And I talked with him over the phone. And he said, well, I'll get you in touch with Peter. And then Peter got. He went back with me. And we met. And I first got the one false arrest dismissed. I had to go down to federal court. And then they bundled the U.S. attorneys bundled the other five up. There was supposed to be another hearing. And they dropped it as soon as the ACLU stepped in. And we went back. We hung the flag right side up. And the VA police didn't bother us. And then we hung it in distress. And they came out and said, take it down. We said no. And they physically removed it. Peter then filed the lawsuit. And we won a judgment against Donna Bider and the chief of police for violating my constitutional right to free speech. Now, we wanted to hang the flag back up. And the judge, same one, Otero, he's right in saying, I don't know where to begin with that guy. But he was the judge in both lawsuits. But he wouldn't allow us to hang the flag back up. And I want to thank Peter Eliasberg so much because he's been with me on this. And we filed that lawsuit almost five years ago originally. And he's taken it to the Supreme Court. Now, I want you to think about this a little bit. Peter, the ACLU attorney who was defending and taking my case to the Supreme Court to hang the American flag in distress for three hours. One day a week. And yet the other attorneys, and Peter is on the staff. But the other attorneys, the whole group led by Ron Olson, who's with the private law firm there, one of the co-counsels, bailed out on a federal judgment. Now, here Peter is taking because we already got overruled two to one in the appeals, court appeals. But he took it all away. He took it all away to the federal court. I mean, the Supreme Court. Now, we win a federal judgment. And these guys bail out and are vacating it and the lawsuit itself with nine people inside the VA. All we want to do is hang the flag on the outside. They go to the Supreme Court. Peter did. But inside where we got a federal judgment, they vacate it. You start putting that little scenario together and you have to question why. Why would you vacate nine illegal occupants when you got a judgment? Vacate that judgment on a hope and a promise that they're going to bring some veterans inside and someday these guys may make an exit strategy or something. This needs to be exposed publicly. The L.A. Times, as you know, will not touch this story. They'll go over to the little tiny community of Bell, one of the most poverty stricken communities in Los Angeles County. and beat up on some, you know, petty politicians that had their resume, their expense account, and their salaries and get indictments and prosecutions and everything. But in the community of Brentwood, where Sue Young got a 30-year rent-free agreement on a billion-dollar piece of property, and they don't even look at it. It's like it doesn't even exist. But now over in the city of Bell, they didn't harm one person over there who was a veteran or whatever. What people don't understand is the victim here is our disabled homeless veteran, and there are 20,000 of them, half the population of the city of Brentwood, the community of Brentwood. We need to really unify as a public entity and start putting demands. And I think one of the first ones we got to be looking at is getting rid of this secretary. And I don't know why they keep going, as you mentioned, Dave, about these CEOs and West Pointers, and all of them have failed. Shinseki, a West Pointer, he resigned disgracefully. Look what McDonald's doing now. Why aren't they going to find a CEO of the Mayo Clinic or something of that stature? People that are in the community. People that are professionals in operating medical facilities. It's just simply, you know, there's a role for a commanding general to run the base, if you will. But somebody has to, with some knowledge, be running these VAs. It's the largest medical operation in the nation. You know, Bob, that's a great point. And I can only think that our president, I don't know. What the problem is, whether he's not getting any information, whether he's getting misinformation, whether he's purposely being misled with regard to the people that he appoints. And as you said, Shinseki, the past department secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs, ended up falling on his sword. This guy has his sword unsheathed. He's ready to fall on his. Or somebody. Or I could throw it at him and maybe expedite. But the bottom line is, that's where he's going to end up anyway. But I always thought West Point had an ethos that would never, ever produce trash like this. So maybe the creed of West Point means only as long as they're at West Point, do they adhere to the principles and the doctrine that we all perceive, to be the case of West Point. So maybe when they leave, they don't have to uphold those doctrines and creeds that impact West Point. You know, the Los Angeles Military Academy, the West Point Military Academy. I just don't understand it. How guys from West Point, held so high in high esteem, can be such low life, flagrant, violent, violators of the Constitution of this United States, and treat veterans the way they do, the guardians and protectors of this land, how they can do that. 22 veterans a day for over three years have committed suicide. 22 veterans a day, I'm repeating myself, have committed suicide for over three years. And let's kind of put that in a different, in a different perspective. Let's say some cheap politician in Washington, one a month died. After two months or three months, they'd have every doctor on the planet finding out what is going on, what the problem is. But the medication, some veterans, Iraqi and Afghanistan veterans are literally being given, prescribed 10 to 15 medications a day. And it also has the, the Center for Disease Control has specifically identified these medications when taking en masse like that, produce a significant degree of depression that could clearly lend itself to suicide. But then we have the pharmaceutical companies writing the prescriptions, filling the prescriptions. And so nothing is done. And there is nothing that is being done by, by any means, by any facet of our United States government. And if it was in a different realm, different people, different area, a different group of people, why, uh, it would, it would be cause for everybody in this country to be alerted and doing something about it. But it's just veterans. And that's what you got with the, the, the government of this country and how they feel about that to not do any more than, at best try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try assault, he would do something about it. He would look into it. And the same good old boys club, it seems like it's always been there. And it seems like it's well alive and well and active with all of its members, totally and completely present. And nobody is dozing off because the way things are going, as far as the veterans of the United States of America are concerned, they're getting the short end of the stick again. We expected that when we were in the service. But when you come home, you would expect things might be a little bit different. So. Well, you know, Dave, you're hitting on something really powerful there on the veteran suicide. And I essentially, I've written a couple of articles. I call it veteran genocide because I came across a homeless veteran. And he was living in an alley and he had a shopping cart and a good man, George. And he 180 percent disabled and he couldn't get his disability check because he didn't have an address. That's kind of the way the system works. I've got photos even of George and he had like, I think it was 19 different medications. And these things, he's got bipolar, he's PTSD, he's got schizophrenia. He's go down the list. He's 180 percent. Disabled. He does not belong in an alley with these drugs. And these when you look at the list on there, it says take two of these every three hours on an empty stomach. Take one of these every hour on a full stomach. It's just a prescription for suicide. And they know it. And he's out of the city. Well, fortunately, George has come through just a big hero of mine. I just really admire him. I remember, you know, he struggles so hard. He picks up a bunch of drugs. He's got bottles and cans. And he was arrested on the VA property and was fined one hundred and fifty dollars. And he was also fined because he had a shopping cart that didn't belong to him. And he got 60 days in jail for that. This is the kind of treatment for a hundred and eighty percent disabled veteran when he belongs inside on the property and taking some bottles and cans out of the house. And he's out of the house. And he's out of the house. And he's out of the house. And he gets fined for stealing government property. This is the kind of stuff that's going on. It needs to be stopped. And when you look again at somebody that's the numbers that you put out, I think it comes to something like eight thousand or something a year, if I'm not mistaken. Yeah. Yeah. Now think about it. Sad as it was, three thousand were killed during the 9-11. We never hear the end of it. Right. Never. Never. Right. In one year, nearly three times as many of our veterans commit suicide. And it is not a an issue. It's not an issue. And, you know, one of the things that we can talk about here, too, is that's when we look at the likes of McDonald and that's Henry Waxman, who himself was a war protester. And that's fine. He has that right. But in 1974, right before the fall of, well, he was sworn in in 75 and right at the fall of Saigon and also he was the steward to oversee this land for 40 years. And I challenge him. I'll challenge him today repeatedly. In his nearly four decades, the man never appropriated one dollar for one blanket for one homeless veteran. But he sure is on the list of veterans for our conservancy as a as a supporter, where they can do it. And he's a veteran. And he's a veteran. And he's a veteran. And he's a veteran. They got a billion dollar piece of property rent free for a public park. And this is the kind of stuff that we've had to put up with. And it's always suppressed. The L.A. Times wouldn't touch that story. Not at all. And yet, Waxman, in order to try to clear his name up, what does he do? He and Feinstein, Senator Feinstein, go out and appropriate $20 million to rehab a 70-year-old rat-infested vacant building for 65 formerly. homeless veterans and it's taken them almost two and a half years to do that 20 million for 65 rooms over 300 000 a room this is it's beyond comprehension how things are just run out of control suppressed that's the big thing that's why i'm so grateful i want to thank jeremy hansen for allowing us to have this program to get a voice out because we call ourselves the voice of the voiceless that's always been our mission and motto our mission is to save our veterans land and to bring our homeless veterans home that's what the veterans revolution is all about we want the land back we want our veterans inside it's real basic and we're going to continue till that happens bob let me interrupt because something you said i i saw mcdonald uh the secretary of the va and uh one of the buildings uh some of the buildings for homeless veterans was specifically mentioned to him and he brought up a building i don't remember the building number but he says well we need those buildings need to be retrofitted and they need to be seismically uh made sound and we need to work on those buildings so it's clear based on that conversation we're talking about almost futuristic i mean clearly down the road in the future and we need to be able to do that and we need to be able to do that and we need try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try I think the masses need to be up in arms and do what they need to do to make something happen, to shake some trees and get some fruit to fall, because the way it's going, nothing is happening. And that's used because people usually don't really have any idea of the real issue with regard to the Veterans Administration and the homelessness. So they take this information without asking a second-level question about why hasn't this building been retrofitted already? It's been five years. Why is it not done? Why is it not completed? And they don't know to go to those levels. And like you say, the Times, they're in bed with the rest of the Brentwood homeowner, that whole crew, that whole dog pack. So they're useless, the Times, except perhaps in an outhouse or something. That's the only thing I think you could use the Times for. But they're a spineless, weak, lily-livered rag of a newspaper. And it's not like the old days where nobody is going to come in and wreck their shop because they're printing the truth. So they don't have to worry about that. You know, I do want to inject one thing there is that Bob Poole, who recently retired, Bob was a Vietnam-era veteran. Right. Right. Right. Right. Right. Right. Right. Right. Right. Right. Right. Right. Right. Right. Right. Right. Right. Right. right after I was discharged. And Bob always did his very best. He covered stories about us and all. And I just got an email a little while ago from him. And it was so I had sent something out about this McDonald issue and all. And he said how shameful it is that the backlog and all this is still going on. And, of course, then you came out today with the, what, 15,000, 20,000 missing. You know, it's the VA part of the settlement was they came out with a three or 16-page plan. Yeah. And Rayford Johnson spoke before the Los Angeles Neighborhood Community Council back in January, very eloquent as he always is. And he called for a state of emergency. And he said that we needed, just as we're discussing, that there needed to be humanitarian relief immediately. It was a crisis. The chairman and vice chairman, Terrence Combs and Jay Handel, put together a motion, four sentences, that essentially said that, you know, this is a state of emergency. And the city. And the city of L.A. and the VA need to unify and put forth a humanitarian relief project. And that just falls on deaf ears. Because a small child will tell you if you've got 20,000 homeless veterans on the street and you've got 400 acres that are being misused, they'll tell you, well, you're absolutely wrong. You don't do that to those veterans. You get those people out of there so you can bring those veterans home. It's a real basic, very, very basic situation we've got. And I don't know, sometimes, you know, you get frustrated. And I'm sure that's what they tried to do with me and our cause, that we're going to go away. But what happened with this so-called settlement only caused me to dig my heels in much deeper. Absolutely. As well as this stuff right now with McDonald's. We're not calling it a misuse. It's a statement. You said it's a lie. The commander, national commander of the American Legion said a lie is a lie. And, you know, how does this guy get a pass under American law? He said he not only lied, he cheated. We weren't allowed to go out and engage anybody. And he cheated there. He stole the valor of the elite special forces. He lied. He stole. He cheated. And he still goes on. And I'm... I'm wondering when the West Pointers are going to stand up and say, enough. Enough. Get him out of there. But if they don't, then it's going to be the stigma on them. And it's sad the way things are heading right now. They really are. I agree that if I was affiliated with West Point in any way, I would want to do something about the guys that are dragging their name through the mud. With the character of service that they have performed. And the degradation that I think has been done partially at the expense of being a West Point graduate. It's absolutely horrendous. It's horrible. I don't know. You know, Dave, I'm going to start wrapping things up here. Because this hour went by really fast. Oh, are we ready to blow out of here? Holy cow. And, of course, this is something that can go on and on, as you know. We've been at it seven years, and we just invested an hour, and it was very, very great. And we, again, want to thank Skid Row Studios right down here in the belly of the beast, and to Jeremy Hansen, we really appreciate, and our engineer, Cheyenne. It's a great operation here. Just so proud to be a part of this. Oh, this is terrific. Yeah, and we're going to take this fight forward. You know, we have really disappointed how we haven't gotten the support, but you might remember when Dr. King said, you know, in the end, we won't remember the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends. And we have a little saying as well that it's better to do right and have enemies than to do wrong and have friends. So we're going to keep marching on. And we'll see you next time. And we're looking forward to talking with you in the future. So God bless America and the Veterans Revolution. Thank you so much, Bob. Thank you, Bob. ¶¶