June 24, 2015
Robert A. McDonald
Secretary, Dept. of Veterans Affairs
United States Government
Washington, D.C.
See PDF here: SCPR – Angry Vets at Master Plan Meeting
Dear Mr. Secretary,
Against my better judgement, I attended Tuesday night’s farce. I took seriously your email to me where you stated “I am disappointed you will not be joining the first meeting of the master planning process” and “We want your ideas and your participation.”
Not only was I initially denied my right to speak during the event, but after the event, the son-in-law of your good friend Carolina Winston Barrie crudely interrupted me while I was speaking with a friend and aggressively confronted me by threatening, “Keep your mouth shut about Carolina Winston Barrie!” This was followed with an even more aggressive assault on me and my First Amendment rights by telling me to “shut up.” He also called me a liar.
The foregoing notwithstanding, I arrived early and signed up for the public comment.
This meeting went on too long with the committee talking about 75-year Enhanced Use Leases and other incredulous nonsense.
The first speaker was Veteran John Keaveney, the retired co-founder of New Directions, who identified restoring the old Chapel as the most important issue facing Veterans today. He threatened the panel that if they do not submit to this stand, not one nail will be hammered into the overall master plan until they succumb to his unilateral demands. And we wonder why Los Angeles is our nation’s capital for homeless Veterans when self-serving, non-profit operators like Mr. Keaveney put projects like this at the forefront.
On the other hand, John Aaron, a Vietnam-era Veteran and a retired real estate development CPA, proffered eloquent and serious rebuttal. He challenged the merits of the overall master plan and when it would actually break ground, while also staunchly challenging the bogus lease talk, like the first proposed 150-unit housing project under the master plan to be built with a 75-year lease.
More importantly, Mr. Aaron weighed-in heavily about these long-term planners having no concerns for providing immediate emergency housing on VA property for homeless Veterans.
A 25-year old Iraqi War Veteran with serious PTSD pleaded for help. He admitted he was suicidal, before running out in tears and desperation.
How will a master plan that won’t have any supportive housing built until years from now ever help him and the thousands pf disabled Veterans who need help now?
A lady echoed Mr. Aaron’s statements. She demanded emergency housing and medical care while your homeless expert, Vince Kane, told her that he already had discussed homelessness at previous Town Hall meetings.
Discussed what? Mr. Kane has objected to emergency housing, as have you, ever since you both stepped foot on this property.
Mr. Kane mumbled something about his Building 257 drop-in with 35 rooms. Disgusting. We have thousands of disabled homeless Veterans who need housing now.
The lady spoke with passion about the large number of homeless Veterans who need to be taken off the streets immediately. She had compelling advice for Mr. Kane: The VA needs to call in the Amish. They can build a big barn in just one day. Use that for shelter. A large applause supported her creative idea.
She was relentless in trying to get her message of urgency to the panel. Mr. Kane kept interrupting her with his jibberish VA doublespeak and his “we’re looking into it” hypocrisy.
Another lady began shouting from the back of the theatre about putting Army tents on the front lawn. Mr. Aaron stepped back to the microphone and joined her demands for emergency housing. The VA moderator interrupted and announced that the public comment session had ended.
My Turn
That’s when I went to the microphone to exercise my rightful turn and expressed support of the speakers who had been complaining that the only thing this committee was addressing were bricks, mortar, financing and developer leases. They ignored the urgency of seriously needed homeless shelter on the property.
I asked the audience to raise their hands if anyone believed that we were not in a state of emergency for Veteran homelessness. No one raised his hand.
It is disturbing that everyone gets it except you and Mr. Kane.
Yesterday’s promises have become today’s lies.
I reminded Mr. Kane that the recent “private ceremony” gate-opening scam with him, Carolina Winston Barrie and yourself was disgraceful and another breach of trust.
Mr. Kane continued to parrot the line that the homeless problem was being addressed with “community partners.”
What a huge disappointment that you deceptively vacated our federal judgment and now you and your homeless expert have deceptively vacated any hope for emergency shelter for homeless Veterans.
Tuesday night was so predictable. Speakers waiting their turn became frustrated. Homeless activist Ted Hayes, who should have been the first speaker, left in disgust after waiting so long. So did others.
The crude, classless behavior of Carolina Barries’ “family” confirmed they have no legitimate standing in this matter. They will only bully.
Like their good friend Mr. Keaveney, the Barrie family has no interest in the need to provide immediate housing and care for Veterans, only an immediate interest in trying to hoodwink Veterans.
When flushed out, they maliciously attack the message of truth as well as the messenger.
Before this unwarranted catastrophe gets completely out of control, you need to inform your imposter friends to stay away from me, as well as from this overall project.
They have done enough damage against the greater good of our disabled homeless Veterans and the integrity of this land. I do not want my personal life threatened by them again.
Sincerely,
Robert L. Rosebrock
Director, Old Veterans Guard
God Bless America and the Veterans Revolution!
Mr. Rosebrock may be contacted at rrosebrock1@aol.com