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"The test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in the mind at the same time, and still retain the ability to function. One should, for example, be able to see that things are hopeless and yet be determined to make them otherwise." ~F. Scott Fitzgerald
I want my President to be able to see past the difficulties and negativity of the moment.
I want my President to see the positivity and potential in his decisions, knowing that he'll be vilified no matter what he does, so he makes the choice that leads to a better future. He doesn't waste time and energy wallowing in the past.
I want my President to lead the people, pursuading Congress to think past the pork barrel projects, past the extremists shouting outside, past their own petty concerns, and look toward a positive outcome for the people -- and not their own political survival.
I want my President to care about me and you and the guy down the block and the Veterans who've come home damaged by war who need more help than the government currently provides. I want my President to care about the people. His people.
I want my President to look past the storm and determine to ride it out, no matter what the personal cost and how hopeless it all looks right this minute.
Hopelessness is a state of mind and all too often, when you look back at it, you realize that you did make it through the storm. Not untouched. Often not unharmed. But you made it through, despite all the odds against you. And life is good.
That's what I want in my President.
Showing posts with label Veterans. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Veterans. Show all posts
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Freedom Isn't Free - Memorial Day 2010
On this day, as the troops left Iraq, do not forget that freedom is never free. We owe our military and veterans a debt that we can never repay.
Sunday, January 20, 2008
What Have YOU Done Lately For Our Veterans?
Yes, this is a challenge.
What have YOU done lately to help your local Veterans?
These are the young men and women who go off to war, to fight our country's battles, and come home again. Some of them were in the National Guard. They NEVER expected to go overseas, the National Guard was meant for homeland security. The government changed the rules on them, so they too went off to Iraq.
(I have major issues about the legality as well as the morality of sending the National Guard overseas -- but I digress...)
Yes, they're welcomed back, but you know, none of us (except other Veterans) really know or understand what they've gone through.
We don't understand the thousand mile stare. We don't understand the hypervigilance. We don't understand the reasons why they try to forget...
What have YOU done to help Veterans?
These are the victims of US policy, of international politics, of war.
There is a long history of Veterans not being able to cope with the changes in their minds, hearts, spirits when they came home again. Not just Vietnam, this has happened after EVERY war, every police action, every single time!
I know what I do.
I work with a Stand Down group.
I'm already working (behind the scenes) on the 2008 North Bay Stand Down, held every October at the Dixon Fairgrounds in Dixon, California. I'm fortunate that my job allows me to do this on company time, that my employer is completely vested in the success of this event.
What do we do? We set up a three-day encampment for homeless and at-risk Veterans, to hook them up with both VA and County services. Our focus counties are Napa, Solano, Sonoma and Yolo. We also include any other Veterans who choose to participate. Last year, Lake County's Veterans began attending our Stand Down.
We set up tents, we register the Veterans, we get medical, dental, eye, and mental health services for them. We have entertainment. We serve breakfast, lunch and dinner. We have Court, with real judges who volunteer to come and help our men and women resolve lingering court issues.
We WORK to benefit the lives of our Veterans, who have not just sacrificed their physical and mental health in service to our country, they've all too often lost their family, friends, jobs and homes.
Living under a bridge is not a fitting reward for someone who fought for the freedoms that you and I enjoy.
What have YOU done lately for our Veterans? And perhaps more to the point, what have your local politicians, members of the House and Senate, done for our Veterans? The people we voted for, have they followed the will of the people? Or are they deciding for us, without listening to our concerns, our opinions, our viewpoints?
What have we all done lately for our Veterans?
Links:
SF Gate: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2008/01/19/national/a100217S53.DTL&tsp=1
National Coalition for Homeless Veterans: http://www.nchv.org/standdownevents.cfm
California Department of Veterans Affairs: http://www.cdva.ca.gov/Resources/Homeless.aspx
North Bay Stand Down: www.northbaystanddown.blogspot.com and www.northbaystanddown.org
What have YOU done lately to help your local Veterans?
These are the young men and women who go off to war, to fight our country's battles, and come home again. Some of them were in the National Guard. They NEVER expected to go overseas, the National Guard was meant for homeland security. The government changed the rules on them, so they too went off to Iraq.
(I have major issues about the legality as well as the morality of sending the National Guard overseas -- but I digress...)
Yes, they're welcomed back, but you know, none of us (except other Veterans) really know or understand what they've gone through.
We don't understand the thousand mile stare. We don't understand the hypervigilance. We don't understand the reasons why they try to forget...
What have YOU done to help Veterans?
These are the victims of US policy, of international politics, of war.
There is a long history of Veterans not being able to cope with the changes in their minds, hearts, spirits when they came home again. Not just Vietnam, this has happened after EVERY war, every police action, every single time!
I know what I do.
I work with a Stand Down group.
I'm already working (behind the scenes) on the 2008 North Bay Stand Down, held every October at the Dixon Fairgrounds in Dixon, California. I'm fortunate that my job allows me to do this on company time, that my employer is completely vested in the success of this event.
What do we do? We set up a three-day encampment for homeless and at-risk Veterans, to hook them up with both VA and County services. Our focus counties are Napa, Solano, Sonoma and Yolo. We also include any other Veterans who choose to participate. Last year, Lake County's Veterans began attending our Stand Down.
We set up tents, we register the Veterans, we get medical, dental, eye, and mental health services for them. We have entertainment. We serve breakfast, lunch and dinner. We have Court, with real judges who volunteer to come and help our men and women resolve lingering court issues.
We WORK to benefit the lives of our Veterans, who have not just sacrificed their physical and mental health in service to our country, they've all too often lost their family, friends, jobs and homes.
Living under a bridge is not a fitting reward for someone who fought for the freedoms that you and I enjoy.
What have YOU done lately for our Veterans? And perhaps more to the point, what have your local politicians, members of the House and Senate, done for our Veterans? The people we voted for, have they followed the will of the people? Or are they deciding for us, without listening to our concerns, our opinions, our viewpoints?
What have we all done lately for our Veterans?
Links:
SF Gate: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2008/01/19/national/a100217S53.DTL&tsp=1
National Coalition for Homeless Veterans: http://www.nchv.org/standdownevents.cfm
California Department of Veterans Affairs: http://www.cdva.ca.gov/Resources/Homeless.aspx
North Bay Stand Down: www.northbaystanddown.blogspot.com and www.northbaystanddown.org
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