Soldiers' Home debate disgusts meDate: 2/11/2021 After spending much of my time working in media, I'm just a little bit jaded at times. I've seen things that weren't designed for public consumption.
Let me give you a couple of examples from back when I was a talk show host on the late and lamented WREB in Holyoke. One day I had a psychic as a guest. You know the type. Just by listening to you she could solve your problem in matter of moments. She was appearing some place local and was on my program advancing her appearance.
As people called in with their questions and concerns, she would make faces at them and chuckle quietly. Her entourage did the same thing. Of course, if you had listened to the show you would have imagined this woman was some sort of saint.
She wasn't. She was simply a hustler. I felt ashamed I had her on and was too young to have the confidence of kicking her backside off my airwaves.
Another moment from my program featured a debate about abortion between an official with a state anti-abortion organization and an advocate for reproductive-choice. Again what the listeners missed were the smiles and warm remarks between the two combatants during the commercial breaks. One of them even asked me if they were sounding good. Back with the mics on they went after each other like they hated each other.
It was like professional wrestling – simple show business.
So, pardon me for being a bit of a cynic.
When it comes to certain topics, though, my armor falls off me, and the treatment of veterans is one of those subjects.
Taking care of our veterans is sacred. Period. These men and women sacrificed for their country and they deserve having the care they earned.
Now yes, I'm prejudiced. My late father was a member of the Air Force. He piloted a B-17 in WWII, a B-29 in the Korean War and was a commander of a B-52. He suffered an injury in 1961 from which he recovered but he was grounded. Staying in the Air Force, his last tour of duty was commanding a maintenance squadron in Bien Hoa, Vietnam.
He did the hat trick: three wars in one career.
I know first-hand his loyalty to this country and the sacrifices he made. My dad was no different than any other vet who did his or her duty for this nation.
That's why the debate that is happening at the Holyoke Soldiers Home disgusts me. Long under-funded and under-staffed, and after the terrible effect of COVID-19, why is there any issue about making the new Home the right Home.
Is it large enough? Will it have the right programs?
The Baker Administration is now responsible for making sure what happened at the Home doesn't happen again. Will it do the right thing?
I watched the Board of Trustees meeting for the story Danielle Eaton and I co-wrote last week and I couldn't believe the pushback from state officials in attendance about the issue of capacity.
Does anyone really believe the Home, if expanded, would be too large? The waiting list is long, so long, as one woman speaking at the meeting explained that people die waiting for the opportunity to be accepted.
That is not right. That is not how we pay back vets.
And guess what? Don't you think there will be a need from Vietnam vets, and the veterans from the Middle East conflict?
Do you really believe there will be no more veterans created by future actions?
Yes, local legislators are backing the idea of more capacity. They are doing the right thing. Yes, the Home support coalition is doing the right thing.
The question is will the commonwealth do the right thing. That remains to be seen.
|
