Veteran homeless
In reflecting on hurricane Sandy, I started wondering about all the homeless that live in the old tunnels in New York City. Did NYC get them evacuated? How many of our homeless brethren did we loose to this storm? Will their deaths be counted?
So far, not counting homeless deaths due to Sandy, we’ve lost 36, 897 (
Nava, November 2012). Since 6% of the homeless population are veterans who served our country with honor to protect our freedom, how are their deaths treated?
It would be wonderful to find housing for all of them. Obama fought for and got HUD funding for veterans, but he knows this isn’t enough to solve the problem that exist amongst our veterans. However, due to severe mental illness which they’ve developed while in service to this country Our Afghan War and early Iraq War veterans have even more risk of developing severe mental health disorders, which prevents them from reaching out to get help, assistance, and being able to maintain housing.
When you consider this number, 36,897 souls lost while homeless and 6% being veterans, this means close to 3,000 veterans have died while being homeless. So how do our cities/towns treat these honorable veterans’ deaths?
If their families can be located and want to take responsibility for the burial, do the families know they’re entitled to a military funeral? If the family can’t be found or don’t want to or can’t afford burial, do our cities/towns work with their local V.A. to see that these men and women who served their country get the military burial with honor that they so richly deserve? Would V.A. regulations even allow this?
If we can’t reach them before their death, we can at least restore dignity to them in their death by giving them the honor they earned when we bury them.
Robin Osgood, Rose Street, Lexington, KY
Walking while female
I hear you (
“Shaming women,” November 2012). I too am female and live and used to work on the North end. During my tenure as a drafter for Windstream, currently housed in the building that used to be K-Mart on new Circle, I frequently used Lime, N. Broadway, etc., for my lunch time running grounds.
One day, I was walking back to work down N. Lime after an exhausting run for a pregnant lady. I don’t know if it was my running attire or generally disheveled appearance that signaled to some strange older guy in a minivan that I might be “working” the North Limestone area, but he shouted out the window asking if I wanted a ride. I waved him off, “no thanks, I can run” and kept on walking with a quickened pace. Really, I couldn’t run anymore…for some reason I was spent. Evidently, my decline didn’t convince him because he turned around, slowed up, stopped and waited as I walked on by. I didn’t have mace or a gun, but I had a phone, so I took it out and dialed one of my co-workers to let her know my distressing situation and where I could be located. The man decided I wasn’t worth the hassle, I guess, and drove off. Golden caravan, maybe 2000 model? This was at least 4 years ago, but I won’t forget it.
This wasn’t the first time I’ve felt threatened in a similar way by a man driving down a street, I on my feet. I used to live in Louisville and walking around at night in the highlands isn’t free of these kind of encounters.
Shannon, web post
Looking for topless mountains
Hello, I am on the search for the Topless Mountains are Obscene bumper sticker (
“Outside the governor’s office,” June 2012). I am looking for the one that has the topless mountains that resemble a female’s breast. I can make donation or buy it. Any info would be appreciated.
Michael Cash, online
Author responds,
I got the rectangular shaped sticker from a woman from Louisville who was from the Unitarian Church or progressive Catholic Church. She was with a group lobbying in Frankfort last spring. You might ask Dave Cooper who is an organizer/spokesman with the Bluegrass Sierra Club and his own Mountaintop Removal Roadshow. Feel free to ask for more help if this is not enough. don pratt.
Recent comments