Fellow Veterans and Friends of Veterans:
Why are the heroes so few and far and between today, when the villains and bad guys run rampant in our society, particularly in government?
Consider the lone City Councilman at Bell, Lorenzo Velez, who is profiled by the Los Angeles Times as an “accidental hero.”
“Bell Councilman an accidental hero by staying clear of corruption scandal”
Are heroes really “accidental”? Or are they just unsung heroes throughout their lives who finally get recognized?
The exposure of the Bell corruption, which was the result of an investigation by the Times, is reminiscent of a recent fiasco that included eight Los Angeles Veterans Advisory Commissioners and one lone Commissioner. For the full story, see the attached pdf “Veterans Against Veterans.”
Dave Culmer is the lone Commissioner. He voted against giving seven acres of Veterans property and two medical buildings worth millions of dollars to a “non-profit developer” for $1-a-year to build a $50 million luxury apartment complex at the Sepulveda VA to purportedly house 147 homeless Veterans.
The Devious Plan
The $50 million to convert the two medical buildings into luxury apartments by the “non-profit developers” is from U.S. taxpayers’ money. Bottom line, the “non-profit developers,” an oxymoron if ever there was one, are on the hook for $1-a-year.
There are 20,000 homeless Veterans in Los Angeles County. This project will not remove one homeless Veteran from the dangerous streets of Los Angeles, which is designated as the “meanest city in the nation” for the homeless. (2009 — National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty and the National Coalition for the Homeless)
Nonetheless, eight Commissioners, all Veterans, voted to give Veterans sacred land and facilities to non-Veteran entities, while Dave Culmer stood up for truth and justice and voted “No.”
While the Times investigated and broke the Bell story of corruption a few months ago, when is the Times going to investigate the abuse and misappropriation of Veterans property at the Los Angeles National Veterans Home, aka VA Greater West Los Angeles Healthcare System, and the largest VA in the nation, along with the misappropriation of Veterans land and medical facilities at the Sepulveda VA in the San Fernando Valley?
The Los Angeles Times could start by writing an article about Dave Culmer.
He is no accidental hero. Dave is a Korean and Vietnam War Veteran who served 22 years in the U.S. Marine Corps. Dave has been a tireless advocate for Veterans rights and services for decades. Dave is a silent hero who continuously fights the villains while defending our disabled and homeless Veterans.
It's time for the Times to start investigating the politicians, special interest groups, non-profit and for-profit corporations and others who have aided and abetted in the grand theft of Veterans property and facilities, subsequently forcing 20,000 Veterans in Los Angeles to be homeless, even though they have a “Home” that was exclusively deeded in their behalf on March 3, 1888.
The Bell story pales in comparison to what has taken place at the Los Angeles National Veterans Home. This is a national disgrace beyond comparison.
Are there any real heroes at the Los Angeles Times? Accidental heroes need not apply.
Robert Rosebrock,
Old Veterans Guard,
Veterans Revolution
Mr. Rosebrock may be contacted at RRosebrock1@aol.com
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