Without debate, without criticism no administration and no country can succeed and no republic can survive.
John F. Kennedy
Men and Women for centuries have worn the uniform, fought the fight and gave the ultimate sacrifice for our right to peacefully protest. Let no man silence the voice made possible through this sacrifice. Keep America great
Happy Memorial Day
If you are a liberal, conservative or a moderate. A Republican, Democrat or an independent. On this day when we remember the ultimate sacrifice that men and women of all colors, ethnicities, gender, religious beliefs and sexual orientation have given so that each day we can rise in a country that while not perfect affords us the freedom that much of the world has never known we must as a people stand tall and reject the kind of hate speech, the bigoted, sexist and racist words that has been used to surprising effectiveness by Presidential candidate Donald Trump.
You can stand on either side of the aisle as a fiscal or social conservative, moderate or liberal and do so without looking to divide the country using hate as your primary weapon.
As a country we are supposed to be one country one people. No matter your race, ethnicity, religion, sex, sexual orientation or political affiliation.
When we come to that realization and stop looking to divide each other and come together as a people that’s what will make America great.
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) states that about 12% of the adult homeless population are veterans. The majority are single, live in urban areas, and suffer from mental illness, alcohol and substance abuse, or co-occurring disorders.
While unemployment rates for veterans have steadily declined over the past few years, to rates lower than the general population, data shows that post-9/11 veterans have struggled to find work more than the general workforce and more than troops who served in previous eras of conflict. About 9 percent of former service members from Iraq and Afghanistan were unemployed in 2013, compared to about 6.6 percent of veterans overall and 7.2 percent of non-veterans.
Almost 700,000 veterans currently have some degree of officially recognized disability as a result of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. A July 2010 report found that child abuse in Army families was three times higher in homes from which a parent was deployed, for example. From 2001 through 2011, alcohol use associated with physical domestic violence in Army families increased by 54%, and with child abuse by 40%. This trend may be related to research linking increased alcohol consumption with partner aggression among veterans suffering from combat-related wounds, injuries, and illnesses.
So this year, don’t just wave the flag and talk the talk. This year on this Memorial Day, commit to:
If you own a business or know someone who owns a business, help a veteran find a job;
If you’re a landlord, realtor, or know someone who is, help a homeless veteran find a home;
Become a big brother, big sister, or mentor to someone who lost their Father, Mother, Brother, or Sister as a result of their service to this country;
Volunteer at the local VA hospital:
Please do whatever you can do, no matter how small you may think it is, to make the lives of those who served this country and their families a little easier.
Remember, the battle doesn’t end when they come home for those who serve and their families. Sadly, it’s just beginning; let’s help make it easier for them.
Carl's Place 