Fellow Veterans and Friends of Veterans,
[img]2628|right|Robert Rosebrock||no_popup[/img]Yesterday, the Los Angeles Kings hockey team celebrated their Stanley Cup victory with a massive street parade, including another packed gathering at Staples Center while Mayor Eric Garcetti dropped the f-bomb on live national television.
Mayor Garcetti was holding up a bottle of beer as he told more than 20,000 screaming fans inside Staples Center: “There are two rules in politics. They say, never, ever be pictured with a drink in your hand, and never swear. But this is a big f—ing day. Way to go, guys.”
This Navy Reserve officer's public display with beer in hand and swearing certainly wasn't the “way to go” for an officer and a gentleman. Nor was it a responsible gesture for an elected public servant to be celebrating a sporting event in this manner while a court trial is simultaneously taking place that involved beer drinking, swearing and subsequent life-threatening violence at a Dodgers game.
Making Much Over Little
The foregoing notwithstanding, why is the City of Los Angeles and its mayor making such a big f—ing deal over a few able-bodied, sound-minded athletes who are paid millions of dollars to chase a 3-inch hockey puck up and down an ice rink for a couple hours to win hockey’s national bragging rights of pride and success?
More importantly, why isn't it the City of Los Angeles and all of its politicians making a big f—ing deal that tens of thousands of war-injured Veterans who are impoverished and living homeless and hungry in back-alley squalor, 24/7, have lost their personal pride and dignity?
Okay, so Los Angeles is now the reigning capital of the National Hockey League champions — big f—ing deal.
Los Angeles is also our nation's reigning capital for homeless Veterans and this is an international f—ing disgrace!
They Only Needed 2 Days
On Friday, the Kings were crowned NHL champions. A mere two days later, the City of Los Angeles organized a parade of 300,000 to line our streets and celebrate while 20,000 season ticket holders were invited inside Staples Center, home of the Kings, for another celebration.
For years, more than 20,000 disabled and homeless Veterans have been exiled from their legally deeded “Home” while non-Veteran entities have stolen their sacred land for non-Veteran use.
If the City of Los Angeles can arrange and coordinate such a massive emergency celebration for its citizenry in just two days, why can’t our federal government arrange and coordinate a simple emergency humanitarian relief project for the very men and women who make it possible for our citizenry to celebrate in freedom?
In truth, there’s just one rule in politics: Take care of those who defend your right to run for public office in a free and democratic society.
God Bless America and the Veterans Revolution!
Mr. Rosebrock may be contacted at RRosebrock1@aol.com