Fellow Veterans and Friends of Veterans,
As we know, America’s President and Commander-in-Chief, Donald J. Trump, has been on a foreign trip extolling America’s military strength while proudly proclaiming his patriotic support of our nation’s revered symbol of freedom and democracy — the American flag.
Yet here at home on American soil, particularly at the Los Angeles VA, it is the complete opposite.
Over the past two years, there was a total of 24 falsified arrest citations issued against elderly Veterans, including Mr. Patriot, for displaying the American Flag “outside” the VA.
There are no VA regulations prohibiting the display of the American flag inside or outside the VA, only a foreign flag.
Nevertheless, the most immoral, corrupt and anti-American VA in the nation – the Los Angeles VA — fabricated falsified arrest citations through its VA police department and charged us with “displaying a placard” on the exterior fence of the National Veterans Park.
Nearly All Cleared
Twenty-three of these bogus citations were adjudicated in Federal Court as not guilty, acquitted and dismissed, while one, against 74-year old, two-tour Vietnam War Veteran Dr. Wiley Drake, a Baptist minister and longtime member of the Old Veterans Guard, was recently found “guilty” of displaying a placard, when he was proudly displaying the American flag.
Dr. Drake was put on a one-year probation while he is appealing this anti-American prosecution by the U.S. Attorneys Office of the Dept. of Justice.
This case was incredulously adjudicated by United States Magistrate Judge Andrew J. Wistrich. He issued the guilty verdict, charging the American flag of being nothing more than a placard while sitting next to the American flag in his own courtroom.
Shameful!
Now … consider the case against Harry Tishchler, an 81-year old Vietnam-era Veteran. He was issued an arrest citation for violating the same VA Regulation as Dr. Drake: 38 C.F.R. 1.218 – (a) (9) “Distribution of handbills.” The distributing of materials such as pamphlets, handbills, and/or flyers, and the displaying of placards or posting of materials on bulletin boards or elsewhere on property is prohibited, except as authorized by the head of the facility or designee or when such distributions or displays are conducted as part of authorized Government activities.
Mr. Tischler was issued his arrest citation “inside” the VA Wadsworth Hospital while he was distributing an anti-war newspaper. Moreover, Mr. Tischler was also cited under 38 CFR 1.218 (a) (5) for “Disorderly Conduct.” Clearly, Mr. Tischler was distributing newspapers which is consistent with pamphlets, handbills and/or flyers.
Well, guess what?
The VA and U.S. Attorneys Office agreed to dismiss both charges against Mr. Tischler – distributing anti-war newspapers and disorderly conduct “inside” the VA — while this same anti-American duo of injustice continues to fight and prosecute Dr. Drake and his appeal for peacefully displaying the American flag “outside” the VA.
Does This Make Sense?
Dr. Drake and Mr. Tischler are represented separately by the federal Public Defenders office.
Think about this … America’s President and Commander-in-Chief was on a foreign trip proudly proclaiming the outstanding merits of our U.S. military and our “great American flag.”
Yet on American soil, one Veteran was found guilty of peacefully displaying the same American flag outside the VA and another Veteran had the same charge dismissed, including disorderly conduct, while distributing anti-war newspapers inside the VA hospital where war-injured Veterans are trying to heal from defending the American flag.
This is beyond comprehension, or maybe not, as this has become the modus operandi of the most corrupt VA in the nation, and nothing is being done by the Dept. of Veterans Affairs in Washington D.C. to change it.
Matters have only gotten worse here in Los Angeles under the Trump administration.
The Secretary of the VA, Dr. David Shulkin, is the only holdover of the Obama administration in Trump’s cabinet.
Like all the previous VA secretaries, he has refused to protect this sacred land for Veteran use only and to bring our homeless Veterans home.
And let us not forget that under the Obama regime, he promoted a weaker military and showed disrespect for the American flag, including all of the “placard” citations were issued under Obama. So why is the Trump VA and DOJ still following the Obama agenda?
The foregoing notwithstanding, what is going on is straight-forward discrimination and retaliation against the Old Veterans Guard for blowing the whistle on the never-ending, rampant VA land-fraud, crime, corruption and inhumane treatment of war-injured and homeless Veterans, and it must stop, posthaste!
This is a call to action!
Do your duty and speak out!
Contact VA Secretary Dr. David Shulkin – www.david.shulkin@va.gov
Demand that the bogus “placard” charges against Dr. Wiley Drake be immediately dismissed and that Ann Brown, executive director of the Los Angeles VA and her chief of police, Charles Leas, be immediately fired.
“To remain silent when they should speak makes cowards of men.” — Thomas Jefferson
God Bless America and the Veterans Revolution!
Mr. Rosebrock may be contacted at rrosebrock1@aol.com