Fellow Veterans and Friends of Veterans:
Dateline Reno — The National Convention of Vietnam Veterans of America has been a most rewarding experience. Being around fellow Veterans who are unified in working together for the greater cause of all Veterans, particularly our disabled, disadvantaged and homeless Veterans, is inspiring beyond description.
Thus, it was more than curious that while here in Reno, I received a copy of an email exchange between a couple of Veterans in Los Angeles acting contrary to everything we hold dear. It included a note attached that said: “Thought you should read this.”
The text in the copy of the email was a false and scurrilous attack against the Old Veterans Guard and our cause in general, and me in specific.
It did not surprise me that the email exchange centered around Mr. Lane Anderson, a Veteran in Southern California. It was just one of many attacks he has made against me, the Old Guard and our cause, on numerous other occasions.
While attacking us, he professes to be an expert on the very issues we protest against. Yet he never has offered any positive solutions, only support of the very perpetrators at the VA who misappropriated our sacred land, i.e., the VA bureaucrats.
Mr. Anderson never has attended one Sunday Rally, nor has he ever met me personally. Yet he attacks me and our cause and tries to puff himself up as a voice of authority on Veterans property, claiming the VA has the right answers.
The Evidence
Within the email copy provided me, it shows that Mr. Michael Kwan contacted Mr. Anderson on Sunday, Aug. 14, at 10:03 p.m., declaring: “I passed by the VA this afternoon and was handed a pamphlet. I'm glad we're not joining them. It's all about housing vets but absolutely no suggestions on how to do it.”
Mr. Kwan is referring to our 178th Sunday Rally last week . The “pamphlet” he refers to was handed out separately by Westside Democratic Progressives of Los Angeles, of which Mr. Lane has known ties. So it is curious —Mr. Lane's attack on us about the “pamphlet” (a one-page, double-sided flyer) when the associates of his known political alliance authored and handed out the flyer. Why the false attack on me? Why is he opposed to his own political alliance on this Veteran land and homeless Veteran issues?
Like the Westside Progressive Democrats, and other political factions of the Republican, California Independent and Constitution parties, they all support our cause, as do many Veteran organizations and other allies.
Mr. Kwan, an Air Force Veteran, apparently passed by our Sunday Rally that included a 90-year old disabled World War II Veteran, a Korean War Marine combat Veteran, and Vietnam Veterans including Ron Kovic, a Marine Sergeant seriously wounded in combat and permanently disabled from his devastating war injuries. Also in attendance were Steve Mackey, California State Council President of Vietnam Veterans of America, and his wife Elayne, President of Associates of Vietnam Veterans of America.
Yet, Mr. Kwan never took the time nor did he have the interest to stop and talk with his own fellow Veterans. He only took a flyer produced by a political faction that supports our cause, and then emails Mr. Anderson, declaring that he's glad that the two of them are not joining us, and “It's all about housing vets but absolutely no suggestions on how to do it.”
Arrested a Half-Dozen Times
Had Mr. Kwan stopped and personally met with any member of the Old Veterans Guard, he would have learned the truth about why we have been protesting for 3 1/2 years, why I was falsely arrested six times by the VA police, why the ACLU defended me and the trumped-up charges were dropped by federal prosecutors, and why the ACLU filed another lawsuit against the VA.
Moreover, Mr. Anderson has received copies of the “Grand Plan” and “Declaration of Enforcement” that specifically explain our position on resolving the problems.
But instead of sharing those documents with Mr. Kwan, Mr. Anderson can only make sophomoric and insulting comments against both documents. He never offers a sensible or logical counter to our plan. It's a known fact that the local VA and headquarters in Washington D.C., are opposed to both documents because they are the opposite of what they want to achieve, i.e., disservice to our disabled and homeless Veterans.
On the other hand, we have received strong support for both documents, including from Ron Kovic, along with many other Veterans, Veterans groups and political factions.
In his email response to Mr. Kwan, Mr. Anderson states: “The reason I began this research and hope for dialogue (with Mr. Kwan) was that I learned that the protesters outside the gate, and particularly Robert Rosebrock, were giving out partial or false information, were not engaging in any positive exchange and were not doing their research. Like you, I am glad we are not with them! It might be that they have prepared the VA to listen and engage with us though…the bad cop/good cop thing?”
Research into what? If it's the land misappropriation, what has taken Mr. Anderson so long? There's already a major lawsuit filed against the VA on this very matter. Why are Mr Anderson and Mr. Kwan seeking their own attorneys?
Why They Are Wrong
It's indeed very interesting and curious that the two actually think they have set up a “bad cop / good cop” scenario with the VA against us.
It's the complete opposite, as these two have aligned themselves with Donna Beiter, executive director, who is allegedly a federal criminal, having been adjudicated by a U.S. Federal Judge when she and her chief of police, Ronald Mathis, violated my Constitutional Right to First Amendment Free Speech.
The VA bureaucrats are the bad guys, pure and simple. But Mr. Anderson and Mr. Kwan are free to pursue any relationship with anyone they choose, and be prepared to accept corresponding responsibility for their actions and alliances.
Other excerpts from the email will remain confidential as we evaluate our own legal options with these two Veteran renegades who are trying to slander me and subvert the work of our group and our cause.
Moreover, they are trying to subvert the ACLU lawsuit by attempting to discredit everything the Old Veteran Guard has contributed toward the lawsuit, as well as to the Position Paper by the Metabolic Studio. Let there be no misunderstanding; our years of research work, suffering police abuse and harassment, and our openness to share this knowledge form what has led to the current status in serious opposition to the VA, et al. My six arrests and my personally contacting the ACLU led to this alliance, and the ACLU embarked upon a larger support base with one of the most formidable legal teams ever comprised.
Again, why are Mr. Anderson and Mr. Kwan, and their allies, seeking their own attorneys and want to meet with the VA bureaucrats?
In his email correspondence, Mr. Kwan declared that in addition to being an “Air Force Comptroller, I (he) was also a Pentagon budget officer.”
It's clear in his analysis and assumptions that he is clueless about why we protest and why there is a major lawsuit against the VA, and how to go about resolving the problems.
Mr. Anderson is heavily linked with Donna Beiter, Ralph Tillman and other VA bureaucrats, the known enemies working against Veterans who have rightfully challenged their malfeasance, misappropriation of Veterans land, and the maltreatment of Veterans.
Mr. Anderson is now trying to link others to this subversive movement to overthrow our 3½ years of work and research, as well as the ACLU lawsuit and Metabolic Studio Position Paper. Most will be too smart to join in cahoots with them, and if they're not, they can suffer the legal consequences in due time.
We will not let his subversive activity go unchallenged.
Mr. Rosebrock, Director of the Old Veterans Guard, may be contacted at RRosebrock1@aol.com
