Rees Lloyd, a prominent civil rights attorney, took prompt action last Friday on behalf of Veteran residents at the Los Angeles National Veterans Home and restored their Constitutional right to assemble and protest against the proposed “public park” on Veterans property in West L.A.
Mr. Lloyd was contacted by the group “We the Veterans” regarding the rights of Veterans receiving residential treatment in the New Directions program to exercise their First Amendment rights of expression, assembly, and/or to petition for redress and to participate in demonstrations being held on Sundays.
The rallies at the Home, between 1 and 4 p.m., are being staged in opposition to the plan to convert 16 acres of land that was exclusively deeded in 1888 for the healthcare and rehabilitation of Veterans into a “public park” by the special interest group of Veterans Park Conservancy.
After joining the first Sunday rally on March 9 in protest against the public park, the Veterans of New Direction were intimidated within the West Los Angeles V.A. to not join any more rallies.
Two Empty Months
This action was reprehensible, since it is Veterans who pledged their lives to defend the U.S. Constitution for others.
And now their own rights were being violated.
For more than two months, the call for help to liberate the Veterans fell upon the deaf ears of major media.
Only this newspaper, “Veterans Today,” and the “Greater West Los Angeles Business Monthly” gave news coverage regarding this outrageous violation of Veterans and their civil rights.
The New York-headquartered Veterans organization, “Operation Firing for Effect,” broadcast the problem on StarDust Radio programs.
But none of the local Veterans’ organizations offered assistance in this matter.
Help Wanted
Several local civil rights attorneys were contacted, including Leo Terrell, Peter Schey, Douglas Mirell and Lawrence Watts, but to no avail.
Last Friday, a phone call was made to Mr. Lloyd in the Coachella Valley. He immediately stepped forward and took action. Mr. Lloyd made telephone calls to James Duvall, the Public Affairs Officer at the V.A. Greater West Los Angeles Healthcare System and to Ms. Toni Reinis, Executive Director of New Directions, to inquire about Veteran residents being denied their right to join the Sunday rallies to protest against the public park.
Mr. Duvall assured Mr. Lloyd “that the V.A. fully respects the rights of those Veterans, and all Veterans, to exercise their Constitutional rights, and that no Veteran receiving treatment there should have any fear whatsoever of any retaliatory acts if they choose to participate in the ongoing protests.”
No Retaliation
Ms. Reinis also assured Mr. Lloyd that the Veterans of New Directions “are free to exercise their Constitutional rights as they see fit, and none need fear retaliation.”
Mr. Lloyd wrote back to Mr. Duvall and Ms. Reinis, confirming both of their assurances and to further declare, “In reliance on your assurances, no further action will bet taken at this time.”
American citizens should be grateful to Mr. Lloyd, a constitutional lawyer for more than a quarter-century, for stepping forward without hesitation and defending the rights of our fellow Veterans at New Directions.
In addition to being a highly successful civil rights attorney, Mr. Lloyd is a Vietnam-era Veteran and past Commander of District 21 of the American Legion Dept. of California, a judge advocate, and Director, Defense of Veterans Memorials Project of the American Legion, Dept. of California.
“We the Veterans,” organizer of the Sunday rallies protesting against the public park, is indeed proud of Mr. Lloyd’s bold initiative.
We can now look forward to the unification of New Directions Veterans with other fellow Veterans in this very necessary cause to “Save Our Veterans Land.”
Sunday Rallies
The 3-hour rallies are held every Sunday at 1 o’clock at the corner of Wilshire and San Vicente boulevards. The public is strongly encouraged to join in support of this noble and honorable demonstration.
Mr. Rosebrock is co-director of “We the Veterans.” He may be contacted at DutysCalling@aol.com
