Sunday afternoon’s public rally in Brentwood to “Save the Los Angeles National Veterans Home” is uniting fellow Veterans as no other cause has before.
The sleeping giant has awakened
The rally was the first of a series of weekly gatherings to stop the land-grabbing by non-Veterans — individuals and groups — and to issue “eviction notices” to all non-Veteran tenants on this hallowed land.
With little pre-notice about the rally, still more that 100 Veterans were singing “God Bless America” in front of the American flag-draped front gate.
The rally was carried forth with a vigorous display of protest signs.
The Veterans’ attitude was: Make no mistake, the sleeping giant has awakened.
They chanted “USA, USA, USA,” and “Save the Home,” “Save the Home,” while carrying signs proclaiming “No Public Park,” in reference to the 16-acre land acquisition — heist — that a local non-profit special interest group finagled, rent-free, from the “highest levels of government.”
Marine veteran Gene Simmes flew in from New York to help lead this rally.
He was joined by fellow Veterans from Orange and Ventura counties, not to mention a strong showing from L.A. County Veterans.
All agreed to help multiply this force of loyal defenders of this sacred land that was deeded in 1888 “to be permanently maintained as a National Home for Disabled Soldiers.”
Nearly 500,000 Veterans are within a 50-mile radius of the National Home, and the group “We the Veterans” plans on gaining the united active support of all.
The Los Angeles Daily News this morning gave the rally some well-deserved coverage. The public is invited to join America’s military Veterans to help preserve, protect and defend the National Home.
As non-Veteran Don Silver said, “The Veterans fought for us. Now we have to fight for them.”
Mr. Rosebrock is co-director of “We the Veterans.” He can be reached at dutyscalling@aol.com
