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amputee, Christmas, compassion, Congress, conscience, disgrace, giving, GOP, holiday, military, national, politician, poverty, Senate, veterans
This morning I drove by a man with metal legs. He stood in the freezing cold at an intersection, holding a placard stating that he served as a Marine.
I went to the store, did my shopping and readied some folded bills. I don’t usually hand money to panhandlers, but this was different. He was a veteran.
What is wrong with this nation that we let this happen to our service people? I drove home so furious I was teary-eyed. People are so selfishly tuned-in to their own ideas, frantically looking for validation and opinion confirmation sources and opportunities, that few see the travesty standing on our street corners and living beneath freeway underpasses in cardboard boxes. This goes beyond disgrace; it connotes the worst sort of social and moral corrosion.
Not that many years back, the GOP lead Senate proudly passed a tax break of $269 billion for the rich. That is revolting and in every way appalling. Our service people and their families are struggling, while the rich have no sympathy for the have nots, no respect for the courage and sacrifice of our military. Those billions were and are needed for the more deserving.
Holidays can be emotionally destructive to the depressed and oppressed. I ask that you give whatever you can when you see or hear about a veteran in need. I didn’t care if that Marine was panhandling because he was destitute or just looking for extra cash to buy his kids a gift. I have my legs intact and he has metal ones. He’s given more than enough.