What a sad commentary on our veterans' condition. It's a damning indictment of an uncaring system that a 73-year old would go to the extreme and take his own life. He should have been happy that he returned from battle safe to be with his family and friends, well-cared for and enjoying the last chapter of his life.
What a sad commentary on our veterans' condition. It's a damning indictment of an uncaring system that a 73-year old would go to the extreme and take his own life. He should have been happy that he returned from battle safe to be with his family and friends, well-cared for and enjoying the last chapter of his life.
We ask them to go fight and die in a foreign land, only to have them return to their homeland to die (sometimes alone), forgotten and in pitiable ways and circumstances. No matter the age, 18 or 80, they should be given the proper care, treatment and attention.
Anytime a govt. agency says, we care (glaring example: CDC), the bile rises in my throat. I say, show us the care. Let us hear from veterans themselves: "Yes, we are being cared for, and we are happy." Until then, it just shows another broken promise, demonstration of lack of responsibility and ingratitude by the government. This is not a Democratic, Republican or Independent issue; it's an American issue.
It was a triple whammy! Not only did we lose an innocent life, the govt undoubtedly dismissed this man as a potential terrorist (“Our case is considered closed,” they declared, without any interest in the WHY of the suicide) and the mainstream media dutifully finished off the job but not without some regret -- this news segment would have gotten more views and online clicks if there were some victims, dammit.
The reaction? The gullible normies sat back on their couch with their TV remote, a donut and a coffee and heaved a sigh of relief that yet another no-doubt MAGA Trumper is not around to sow fear into their hearts and minds and destroy democracy. The children are safe again from these crazies but hey, it's time to get that 5th booster in them. You know, Trust the Science!
Thanks for the link. I read the letter and it is just an unadulterated bs letter. Like you rightly pointed out, the focus is entirely on the firearm and how the facility failed to prevent a gun from being brought inside. Gimme a break! Suicide is suicide, whether by hanging, gunshot, poison, high speed driving, etc. If he had taken poison to end his life, would the facility have checked all visitors for poison vials?
Pathetic response by an elected representative, but I am not at all surprised. We don't exactly send the best and brightest to Washington DC. There are a few, but they are also compromised or have their hands tied behind their back by rules/procedures, colleagues, Big Lobby, etc. So now we have the hospital, congressman and media focused on the same thing: ooh, the gun! Yup, the system is working fine. For them, but not for Americans.
"Chris’s military service included three deployments, including a tour of duty as a U.S. Army Civil Affairs Officer in Iraq." Source: https://chrisforpa.com/meet-chris/
So, was he a desk warmer or did he see action in the killing fields? Big difference. Did he see his unit suffer wounds or death, did he experience enemy fire, and did he lose sleep over looming danger? Or, was his worst nightmare getting paperwork done on time? Or, making sure his boots were clean from the Iraqi dust? Or, getting frustrated at an unreliable Internet connection in Iraq?
I don't know, maybe he was in the front lines with weapon in hand, going door to darkened door with his buddies covering his six? Did he have PTSD? He looks in his website like he doesn't have a care in the world. Maybe his transition to a politician helped mitigate/assuage his nightmarish military service. And he is a Dem, apparently. Was he anti-war, like old Dems pretended to be? I don't know the answers to my questions, but this I do know based on his flippant, fake-sincerity letter to the hospital -- he sounds like an agenda-driven representative and that agenda is bereft of real compassion for the dearly departed we were talking about and instead is focused on an issue that only distracts from the real issues faced by veterans. Who funded his election? Was it his own/family money?
I don't know the man. Maybe he is doing good work for his constituents. I would like to be proved wrong. I have no problem apologizing if I am wrong.
Wonder if he received a medal for creating Death by PowerPoint presentations to generals who hid in the Green Zone while sending enlisted folks out to do urban warfare.
What a sad commentary on our veterans' condition. It's a damning indictment of an uncaring system that a 73-year old would go to the extreme and take his own life. He should have been happy that he returned from battle safe to be with his family and friends, well-cared for and enjoying the last chapter of his life.
We ask them to go fight and die in a foreign land, only to have them return to their homeland to die (sometimes alone), forgotten and in pitiable ways and circumstances. No matter the age, 18 or 80, they should be given the proper care, treatment and attention.
Anytime a govt. agency says, we care (glaring example: CDC), the bile rises in my throat. I say, show us the care. Let us hear from veterans themselves: "Yes, we are being cared for, and we are happy." Until then, it just shows another broken promise, demonstration of lack of responsibility and ingratitude by the government. This is not a Democratic, Republican or Independent issue; it's an American issue.
Excellent comment.
It was distressing to read the story. Who was this man? Why did he feel as if he had no other choice but to end his life by suicide?
And he chose not to do it at home but on the grounds of a VA healthcare facility.
No doubt making a statement.
The emphasis on the news story was about "sneaking" a gun into a VA facility.
VA probably dismissed it as a 2A Trump supporter. In other words, his life didn't matter.
https://triblive.com/local/man-committed-suicide-with-gun-he-sneaked-gun-into-va-hospital-in-ohara-officials-say/
It was a triple whammy! Not only did we lose an innocent life, the govt undoubtedly dismissed this man as a potential terrorist (“Our case is considered closed,” they declared, without any interest in the WHY of the suicide) and the mainstream media dutifully finished off the job but not without some regret -- this news segment would have gotten more views and online clicks if there were some victims, dammit.
The reaction? The gullible normies sat back on their couch with their TV remote, a donut and a coffee and heaved a sigh of relief that yet another no-doubt MAGA Trumper is not around to sow fear into their hearts and minds and destroy democracy. The children are safe again from these crazies but hey, it's time to get that 5th booster in them. You know, Trust the Science!
Here is the letter Congressman Deluzio wrote to Director of the VA healthcare system in Pittsburgh.
Pretty much paid a blip of attention to the actual suicide of the veteran.
But...made a big deal about the gun.
https://deluzio.house.gov/sites/evo-subsites/deluzio.house.gov/files/evo-media-document/deluzio-letter-va-suicide.pdf
Thanks for the link. I read the letter and it is just an unadulterated bs letter. Like you rightly pointed out, the focus is entirely on the firearm and how the facility failed to prevent a gun from being brought inside. Gimme a break! Suicide is suicide, whether by hanging, gunshot, poison, high speed driving, etc. If he had taken poison to end his life, would the facility have checked all visitors for poison vials?
Pathetic response by an elected representative, but I am not at all surprised. We don't exactly send the best and brightest to Washington DC. There are a few, but they are also compromised or have their hands tied behind their back by rules/procedures, colleagues, Big Lobby, etc. So now we have the hospital, congressman and media focused on the same thing: ooh, the gun! Yup, the system is working fine. For them, but not for Americans.
...and that idiot Congressman is a veteran.
A quick search revealed this:
"Chris’s military service included three deployments, including a tour of duty as a U.S. Army Civil Affairs Officer in Iraq." Source: https://chrisforpa.com/meet-chris/
So, was he a desk warmer or did he see action in the killing fields? Big difference. Did he see his unit suffer wounds or death, did he experience enemy fire, and did he lose sleep over looming danger? Or, was his worst nightmare getting paperwork done on time? Or, making sure his boots were clean from the Iraqi dust? Or, getting frustrated at an unreliable Internet connection in Iraq?
I don't know, maybe he was in the front lines with weapon in hand, going door to darkened door with his buddies covering his six? Did he have PTSD? He looks in his website like he doesn't have a care in the world. Maybe his transition to a politician helped mitigate/assuage his nightmarish military service. And he is a Dem, apparently. Was he anti-war, like old Dems pretended to be? I don't know the answers to my questions, but this I do know based on his flippant, fake-sincerity letter to the hospital -- he sounds like an agenda-driven representative and that agenda is bereft of real compassion for the dearly departed we were talking about and instead is focused on an issue that only distracts from the real issues faced by veterans. Who funded his election? Was it his own/family money?
I don't know the man. Maybe he is doing good work for his constituents. I would like to be proved wrong. I have no problem apologizing if I am wrong.
Wonder if he received a medal for creating Death by PowerPoint presentations to generals who hid in the Green Zone while sending enlisted folks out to do urban warfare.