Letter to the Editor: Where’s the outrage?

By Sun Advocate

Editor:
Where’s the outrage? Here we go again listening to the empty rhetoric of our politicians.
First, we hear that our government neglected to supply the necessary weapons and armaments to protect our soldiers in this “chosen” war. At the onset, they were bathing in contaminated water, eating spoiled food supplied by no-bid contractors. Our coalition friends are leaving Iraq claiming victory along with our President, while fighting in those areas ran amuck with death and destruction shared among our military and the innocent Iraqi people. Meanwhile the “forgotten” war in Afghanistan rages on. We have been fighting wars on the cheap, but are told over and over again that error has been corrected.
Not so. Now we find that once again we are letting our brave soldiers down. It seems that if they’re lucky not to come home in the flag draped coffins hidden from the public eye, they come home to inadequate health care. This is no reflection on the care given at the Veterans Hospitals by the doctors, nurses and health care providers. They are working under adverse conditions; funding cuts, long hours and government restrictions. It is a damning reflection on how our government operates. Billions of dollars have been slashed from the Veterans Administration’s budget. Yet, at the same time our politicians posture themselves with empty rhetoric (artificial eloquence), pat themselves on the back, wear the American flag in their lapel and assure us they support our troops.
This war is still being fought on the cheap. Slashing V.A. benefits, closing hospitals, placing injured soldiers in the conditions that were recently exposed at Walter Reed. There is no excuse that can justify such behavior and, of course, from the top officials down their rhetoric again is they did not know. Isn’t it their job to know?
Veterans from past wars are finding it difficult to navigate the system for their medical care; waiting for appointments eight to 10 months; paying more for prescriptions and outpatient care; three or four months delay for surgical procedures. These are people who put their lives on the line for us, the American people. We must demand they be taken care of no matter what the cost.
Right now, politicians from both sides believe they have silenced the “whispers of discontent” by passing an ineffective non-binding resolution while at the same time ignoring the importance of responsible legislation. They disregard two border patrol patriots who have gone to jail for doing their job (a few Republicans have stood up for them but I notice no Democrats have come forward nor has the president) � could it be they are so interested in the North American Union (the joining of Mexico, United States, and Canada) they no longer think of the average American citizen?
At the same time, the Republicans seem that protecting the errors made by this administration is more important to their political futures than protecting the rights and needs of our troops. Both parties are certain that the best thing for each of them is to remain silent on important issues, don’t ruffle any feathers, tell us what they think we want to hear, make changes to the system to their benefit in the recesses of a back room behind closed doors, serve their time as an elected official and resign to become a lobbyist and keep their large contributors happy by submitting to their demands.
Yes, we will more than likely re-elect them for we are anxious to hear something of substance so we listen to their rhetoric or sound bites. Perhaps they’ll change, we say. Meanwhile, our country is crumbling from within. Job losses, high medical costs, college way beyond the means of many, low wages, high mortgage costs and very little savings, and last but not least our wide-open borders where anyone from any country with a terrorist background can enter our country with bombs, diseases, or any destructive weapons of choice while our politicians ignore our safety. A virtual fence; what will we think of next. Something not there is sure to protect us.
Mark my words, the “whispers of discontent” are raging loud and clear. Someday, soon I hope, our politicians will suddenly awaken to the loud roar of “outrage!”