Oct. 20, 2015
Vincent Kane
Special Assistant to Secretary Robert A. McDonald
Dept. of Veterans Affairs
Good morning, Mr. Kane,
When Los Angeles Times reporter Martha Groves emailed me about her then- forthcoming article, “Draft master plan is unveiled for long-neglected VA campus in West L.A.,” she asked for my input.
When I challenged the urgency and top-priority being given to Mrs. George Barrie IV, aka Carolina Winston Barrie, by VA Secretary McDonald to rehab the VA chapel instead of ending Veteran homelessness first, she took serious issue by defending the chapel and belittling housing homeless Veterans.
My response to Ms. Groves, in part:
“If the chapel is so important, why did they let it run down to a public disgrace? Carolina and her fat-cat friends had decades to take care of it. They didn’t. More importantly, they should have taken care of our disabled homeless Veterans. That is spirituality …. looking out for the least of our fellow citizens in need, particularly those who selflessly defend our nation’s freedom and safety.
“Actually, the abandoned and neglected look of the chapel is a symbolic reminder of how the VA and the neighboring community have abandoned our aging Vietnam War Veterans. They are forced to live their last years in some of the most deplorable conditions imaginable.
“If spirituality is important for Veterans, why did the VA just cancel the Shepherd of the Hills Sunday services, at the VA Wadsworth Theater, which was open to Veterans as well?
“If spirituality is important, how can the VA and the neighboring community allow dogs to urinate, defecate and fornicate on sacred Veteran property while thousands of war-injured Veterans are dispossessed, exiled to the dangerous streets of L.A.?
“If they are sincere about the spiritual side for Veteran healing, which they should be, then use the Wadsworth Theater for all church services — regardless of denomination.
“What they really want is a public relations ruse as Veterans Park Conversancy’s long history is one of having its clutches on the chapel for ‘public weddings’ and other events,, not true spirituality.”
My complaints and objections toward this master scam submitted to Ms. Groves were varied. She wanted to editorialize them. I told her to keep my good name out of her bigoted article, which she did.
On the other hand, she quoted you with your bigoted opinions about the master plan, in which you state: “[But] you don’t get many opportunities to do a master plan. … We all felt the community needed more time to look at the plan and comment on its entirety.”
Once again, you are lying … in part.
There have been numerous concoctions of a “master plan” over the years that subverted the only legitimate master plan [Deed of 1888]. Not one was ever orientated exclusively toward the benefit of disabled, homeless Veterans, nor is this current one.
For once you were honest when you publicly admitted that the VA “felt the community needed more time to look at the plan and comment on its entirety.”
Yes, Vince Kane is right for a change, as you finally concede that it’s the prioritized “wants” of the neighboring community that control the planning and occupancy of Veterans land that deserve more time.
Meanwhile the urgent “needs” of our war-injured and impoverished homeless Veterans will continue to remain ignored and neglected indefinitely.
In Ms. Grove’s article, she quotes U.S. Rep. Ted Lieu when he “praised [Secretary] McDonald for creating a sense of urgency around the campus.”
Congressman Lieu is being honest for a change as he admits that caring for an abandoned chapel is getting urgent attention from the Secretary of the VA, particularly when it benefits one of his wealthy friends. The friend is a major donor to Veterans Park Conservancy, which the VA gave a long-term “sharing agreement” to build a public park on 16 acres of Veterans VA land rent free until it was adjudicated in federal court as “unauthorized by law and therefore void.”
However, when it comes to caring for neglected homeless Veterans, neither the VA Secretary, you his homeless expert, nor Congressman Lieu give this urgent attention.
That is unethical.
Sincerely,
Robert L. Rosebrock
Director, Old Veterans Guard
God Bless America and the Veterans Revolution!
Mr. Rosebrock may be contacted at rrosebrock1@aol.com